VII. Developing International Cooperation in Drug Control
It is highly necessary to strengthen international
cooperation in drug control to promote the battle against narcotics worldwide and
radically solve the drug problem in China. On the basis of clinging to the Five Principles
of Peaceful Coexistence (mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, mutual
non- aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual
benefit, and peaceful coexistence), China has all along actively participated in and
promoted international cooperation in drug control and played an important role in this
field.
The Chinese government takes an active part in international affairs connected with drug
control. In June 1985, approved by the NPC Standing Committee, China acceded to the UN
1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic
Substances that had been revised by the 1972 Protocol.
In September 1989, China obtained the approval of the NPC Standing Committee to accede to
the UN Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances,
becoming one of the first member countries to it. Beginning in 1984, China has sent
delegations many times to attend international drug control meetings held by the United
Nations, the International Criminal Police Organization, the World Customs Organization
and the World Health Organization. In October 1989, China held the Asian Region Anti-Drug
Seminar in Beijing and in November 1996, hosted the International Stimulant Specialists
Meeting in Shanghai. The Chinese government sent delegations to take part in the 17th and
20th UN special General Assembly sessions on drug control in February 1990 and June 1998,
declaring the Chinese government's resolute anti-drug stand, policies and measures to the
international community.
China is an active supporter and promoter of cooperation in drug control in the
sub-region, as initiated by the UN. In May 1991, the NNCC of China hosted the first
meeting of senior officials of China, Thailand, Myanmar and the United Nations Drug
Control Program (UNDCP) in Beijing, to discuss the proposal on multilateral cooperation
against drug abuse in the sub-region. In June 1992, China, Myanmar and the UNDCP signed
the China/Myanmar/ UNDCP Joint Cooperation Project on Drug Control in Rangoon, Myanmar. In
October 1993, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and the UNDCP signed the Memorandum of
Understanding on Narcotic Drugs Control, which stressed keeping contacts between high
officials to further the cooperation in drug control in the sub-region. On May 1995,
China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and the UNDCP convened the first
minister-level meeting on cooperation in sub-region drug control in Beijing. The meeting
adopted the Beijing Declaration and signed the Sub-region Drug Control Program of Action.
In 1999, the Chinese government sent delegations to attend the sub-region minister-level
meetings in Japan and Laos to continue to promote enthusiastic cooperation in drug control
in the sub-region.
China has constantly strengthened bilateral and multilateral cooperation in drug control
with other countries. In 1985 China began to cooperate with the United States in drug
control, and in 1987 the governments of the two nations signed the Sino-US Memorandum of
Cooperation in Narcotic Drugs Control. In 1997, the heads of the two states signed the
Sino-US Joint Statement containing contents on cooperation in drug control, which upgraded
this cooperation between the two countries to a new level.
Subsequently, the governments of China and the United States mutually accredited anti-drug
liaison officers. Meanwhile, China attached importance to the cooperation in drug control
with Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. In April 1996, China and Russia signed
the Agreement on Cooperation Against Illicit Trafficking and Abuse of Narcotic Drugs and
Psychotropic Substances. In 1998 the heads of state of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Russia and Tajikistan signed a joint statement, taking cracking down drug-connected and
transnational crimes as major contents in cooperation among the five countries. In
addition, the Chinese government has signed bilateral agreements on cooperation in drug
control with the governments of Mexico, India, Pakistan, Colombia and Tajikistan.
For many years, China has developed cooperation in many forms with the United States,
Canada, Japan, France, Australia, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia in
anti-drug information exchange, training and law enforcement. Since 1996, China has
successively established a liaison officer system of anti-drug law- enforcement
cooperation in border areas with Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Russia. Besides, the police
authorities of China, the United States, Canada, Japan and the Republic of Korea have on
many occasions jointly cracked cases of illicit traffic in drugs through international
anti-drug information exchange and judicial cooperation, effectively deterring
transnational drug-related crimes.
The Chinese government has done its utmost to enthusiastically help bordering countries to
unfold anti-drug combat. Beginning in 1990, China has actively helped the northern parts
of Myanmar and Laos, where poppies were traditionally planted, to promote alternative
development by means of providing technological and agricultural support and developing
tourism resources. These efforts, to some degrees, have promoted the economic and social
development in that region, consequently helping to reduce the threats brought to China
and international community by the " Golden Triangle" drugs. At the same time,
China has received energetic support and help from the UNDCP in international cooperation.
Over the past 20 years or so, China has made outstanding achievements in drug control and
gained a shower of praise from international community. In the meantime, the Chinese
government has soberly realized that the waves of the rising international drug tide is
buffeting China more severely than ever and such situation could not be eliminated in the
short run. The drug problem is still rampant in China and therefore the fight against drug
abuse in China is a heavy task, and there is a long way ahead in this regard. At this
important moment when a new millennium is dawning on mankind and the old century is giving
place to the new, international community has realized more unanimously than ever the
urgency and importance of drug control. It is a common wish of people of all countries to
solve the drug problem as soon as possible and to build this planet into a healthy,
civilized, happy and beautiful world. During the new century, the Chinese government will
wage an unremitting, thoroughgoing struggle against drugs nationwide and will not stop its
efforts until drugs are eradicated. The Chinese government will, as always, strengthen
cooperation with other countries and make unremitting efforts to completely eliminate
narcotic drugs and build a world free from the drug scourge.
Note: The statistical data mentioned here do not include the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region, Macao Special Administrative Region and Taiwan Province.
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