Chinese official to head Interpol
Print Edition
INTERPOL, the international police cooperation agency, has elected a senior Chinese public security official as its president, in what could be a boost to Beijing’s anti-graft crackdown at home.
The move hands China another leading position at an international agency and will likely help facilitate its high-profile efforts to track down fugitive graft officials who have fled the country.
Vice Public Security Minister Meng Hongwei was chosen for a four-year term at the agency’s 85th members’ meeting in Indonesia.
Meng will head Interpol’s executive committee responsible for providing guidance and direction to the organization and implementing decisions made by its general assembly.
Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock is the organization’s chief full-time official responsible for implementing decisions made by the general assembly and executive committee.
“He is the first Chinese official to take the post,” Xinhua news agency said. His predecessor was Mireille Ballestrazzi from France.
China has worked bilaterally with countries around the world, and through the France-based organization, to chase down Chinese suspects as part of its widespread campaign against corruption.
In 2014, China issued an Interpol “red notice,” the closest instrument to an international arrest warrant, for 100 most-wanted corruption suspects who had fled overseas. It has said it has brought back at least a third of them so far.
China has been seeking more international cooperation to hunt down suspected fugitives since President Xi Jinping began the drive against deeply rooted graft about four years ago.
In his acceptance speech, Meng promised to work with all of Interpol’s member states to build the international group into a stronger platform for global police cooperation.
He said he will promote more effective global police cooperation, better support the capacity-building efforts of police in all member countries, and improve coordination among regional and global police forces with a view to building a safer world and a more efficient Interpol that is of benefit to all member states.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang congratulated Meng on his appointment, noting that China enjoyed close communication and cooperation with Interpol and its member states.
“We attach high importance to the role played by Interpol and would like to shoulder more responsibility and contribute more in the field of law enforcement and security,” Lu said.
Founded in 1914 and now headquartered in Lyon, Interpol is the second largest international organization after the United Nations, with 190 members.
China became a member state in September 1984.
Duan Daqi, a Chinese national, is currently an Interpol vice president whose term ends in 2018.
Other Chinese nationals have previously served in senior positions in world organizations, including Zhu Min, who was deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund from 2011 to 2016.
Justin Lin, also known as Lin Yifu, served as chief economist and senior vice president of the World Bank from 2008 to 2012, and Hong Kong resident Margaret Chan is director-general of the World Health Organization.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
