China and the United States have made a joint declaration at an APEC workshop
in Shanghai, calling for intensifying exchanges and cooperation between APEC
economies to fight against corruption.
The declaration was made Tuesday at the concluding session of the Shanghai
Workshop on anti-corruption co-sponsored by China and the United States.
It called for joint efforts from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
members to create a corrupt-free environment to contribute to economic
prosperity and social stability of the Asia-Pacific region.
Li Yufu, vice-minister of Supervision, said China will cooperate with APEC
members to fight corruption, especially in the areas of denying safe haven to
corrupt officials and individuals, their extradition and the recovery of
unlawfully acquired assets.
Debra Wong Yang, U.S. attorney of the central district of California,
commended China's important role under the APEC framework in cooperation to
fight against corruption.
114 officials and experts from 18 APEC economies and related international
anti-corruption organizations participated in the three-day workshop with the
theme of Denial of Safe Haven, Asset Recovery and Extradition.
The goal of the workshop is to build on the commitment of APEC leaders, as
expressed in the Santiago commitment on fighting corruption and ensuring
transparency and the Busan Declaration, to intensify regional cooperation in
anti-corruption.
The workshop touched on subjects including the core elements of a denial of
safe haven strategy, extradition and repatriation, asset recovery and the return
of illicitly acquired assets, mutual legal assistance and international
cooperation and anti-money laundering and anti-bribery measures.
Officials of China's Ministry of Supervision said with globalization and
regional economic integration, organized and and transnational corruption has
been increasing. They said the denial of safe haven, asset recovery and
extradition are the major tasks in international cooperation to fight
corruption.
They said due to different political and economic systems in APEC economies,
there are also differences in legal systems in fighting corruption. The fact
should be recognized so as to lay a sound basis for exchanges and cooperation in
this respect.
They stressed the effectiveness in anti-corruption drive, the efforts for
substantial progress and diversified cooperation forms in the struggle against
corruption.
They also called for establishing bilateral and multi-lateral cooperative
mechanisms against corruption.
The 21st Session of the Standing Committee of the 10th National People's
Congress of China, which opened on Tuesday, will deliberate on several related
motions including the ratification of the extradition treaties between China and
Brazil and China and Spain. They will also debate and are expected to ratify the
Treaty on Criminal Judicial Assistance between China and Spain, and a similar
treaty between China and France.