China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed a memorandum of understanding over the weekend to collaborate in the field of non-traditional crime issues, officials said.

The memo means the group can press ahead with joint efforts to combat transnational crimes, which have posed great challenges to the region's peace and development, said Tian Qiyu, Chinese executive vice-minister of public security. Tian spoke at a news conference on Saturday.

Tian and ASEAN's Secretary General Ong Keng Rong penned the memorandum at the end of the one-day ASEAN plus China, Japan and South Korea ministerial meeting held in Bangkok.

The memorandum puts China and ASEAN's ongoing co-operation programme and workshop on combating non-traditional crimes into words and set down medium-and long-term goals for further co-operation in this field, Ong told reporters after the signing ceremony.

Non-traditional crimes include terrorism, money laundering, cyber crimes and international economic crimes. In addition, drug trafficking, human trafficking, sea piracy and arms smuggling are also covered by the memorandum, Ong said.

Under the memorandum, China and ASEAN nations will improve their information sharing, personnel exchanges and training and law-enforcement collaboration.

Ong said terrorism and drug trafficking are especially high priorities. The participation by China, Japan and South Korea in the meeting had significant meaning for the region to explore a comprehensive and integrated approach to addressing transnational crime, said Thai Justice Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana.

Tian said that the mechanism, hailed by all parties, benefits the establishment of a security community in East Asia and also promotes the region's economic development. Trying to promote development and peace in the region, China has worked actively with ASEAN in crime fighting.

In November 2002, the two sides made a joint declaration in which they stated their determination to fight transnational crimes. The newly-signed MOU was actually a continuous action of the joint declaration, said Tian.

Affirming the achievements made in the field of fighting non-traditional crimes, Tian noted that it is only the beginning of the ASEAN plus three mechanism in the security field.

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