Police chiefs from the capitals of China, ASEAN member countries, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) vowed in Beijing on August 18 to further boost cooperation in an effort to keep security and peace in the region.

They put forward the idea in a declaration adopted at the close of a three-day workshop on policing exchange and cooperation among capital police agencies from these countries.

The workshop, organized by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Public Security, adopted the Beijing Declaration on enhancing cooperation among the capital police forces of 10 member countries of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), China, Japan, and the ROK.

The Beijing Declaration proposed to set up a liaison mechanism among these countries to exchange intelligence and carry out close cooperation in unconventional security areas such as terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering, organized crime, cross-border crimes and computer crimes.

"The Beijing Declaration defines the basic principles for future policing cooperation among these Asian countries," said Ma Zhenchuan, director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Public Security.

During the three-day meeting, the capital police chiefs and officers exchanged views on a string of issues, including the security issues for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and the security issues of foreign citizens in capitals.

Ma praised the workshop as "offering a long-term, stable platform for future cooperation", saying that it was helpful to boost mutual trust and share each other's experience among these capital police agencies.

Police officers from the other countries promised to further their cooperation with China within the framework of the Beijing Declaration.

Milord baker Hj Omar, a police officer from Malaysia, said that Malaysian police and Chinese police should have a stronger link as the two countries have enjoyed good trade relations.

Pham Chuyen, police chief of Hanoi, Vietnam, told Xinhua that the Beijing Declaration will pull the police agencies of these countries closer.

"Vietnam and China are close neighbors. We have a huge room for cooperation in keeping safe along the borders," he said.

Source: Xinhua