Police authorities in China and Myanmar busted a transnational women trafficking gang last July. The gang had abducted and sold more than 90 Myanmar women to China since 2004.

Again this year, Chinese and Vietnamese police jointly arrested a transnational auto smuggling gang, which smuggled 2,323 second- hand luxury cars in three years, evading more than 200 million yuan of taxes.

Those were just two examples of police cooperation in the fight against transnational crimes between China and members of ASEAN. Leaders of the two sides reaffirmed their determination to this regard at the China-ASEAN summit and trade fair going here in Nanning.

"We are committed to maintain high-level visits; strengthen cooperation and information sharing in non-traditional security issues; promote cooperation on criminal justice and law enforcement, including in anti-corruption efforts; encourage exchange of defense/security officials; work together in ensuring maritime security in the region," says a joint statement inked by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and leaders of the ASEAN countries on Monday.

As China and ASEAN see an increasing flow of trade and investment, cross-border crimes become tougher to deal with.

"The transnational crime situation is still severe and needs more resolute and concrete measures from China and ASEAN for further crackdown," said Huang Xingqiu, deputy director of institute of China-ASEAN relations under Guangxi University of Nationalities.

A latest report released by the ASEAN-China Eminent Persons Group, said ASEAN and China should strengthen cooperation on transnational issues such as maritime security, illegal trafficking, terrorism, transnational crimes and disaster relief and management.

Both Wen and his ASEAN colleagues stressed the importance to tackle the evils.

Meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Wen proposed four priority areas to strengthen the friendly bilateral relationship, including to reinforce joint efforts to combat transnational crimes.

ASEAN leaders, including Malaysian Prime Minister Badawi, Myanmar Prime Minister General Soe Win and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, all expressed their willingness to reinforce efforts with China in the fight against transnational crimes during the just concluded China-ASEAN summit.

From July 1997 to March 2005, China, Myanmar and Thai police authorities jointly cracked a transnational drug trafficking case, arrested more than 30 criminal suspects, and seized more than 550 kilograms of heroin and 12.36 tons of methamphetamine.

"ASEAN countries and China are both victims of illicit drugs," Zhou Yongkang, China's minister of Public Security, said last year.

Acreage of opium poppy in the "Golden Triangle" area, which borders Thailand, Myanmar and Laos, reduced from 160,000 hectares at its peak to 40,000 hectares last year, thanks to the joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries, according to statistics provided by the China's Ministry of Public Security in October 2005.

Chinese government's efforts to help reduce opium in the " Golden Triangle" area have paid off. By the end of 2004, about 15, 000 hectares of paddy and corn have been planted in north Myanmar and north Laos, instead of opium poppy.

"But new types of illicit drugs such as amphetamine type stimulants (ATS) are proliferating in the region, as new-type drugs are easier to produce and more lucrative," said Huang Xingqiu.

The abuse of ATS in the "Golden Triangle" has spread rapidly, especially among young people, officials said. The majority of global ATS seizures occur in the region, including 80 percent of all methamphetamine hauls, Huang said.

In a bid to intensify fight against drug production and smuggling, China and ASEAN countries signed the Beijing Declaration in October 2005 on enhancing cooperation in response to dangerous drugs, aiming to enhance joint law enforcement in combating drug smuggling.

In future, China and ASEAN may shift their anti-drug focus toward new-type narcotics and further tighten the border control and customs management so as to more effectively curb drug smuggling, Huang said.

Source: Xinhua