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Statement by Counselor Wu Haiwen of the Chinese Delegation in the General Debate on Drug Control, Crime Prevention, and Criminal Justice at the Third Committee of the 70th Session of UNGA

2015-10-08 00:02
 

Mr. Chairman,

The Chinese Delegation would like to thank the Executive Director of UNODC for his introduction and the Secretary General for the reports submitted. The recently adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has incorporated elements of criminal justice, crime prevention and reduction, anti-corruption and drug control. Meanwhile, corruption, drugs, and transnational crime constitute daunting challenges facing us today. In this connection, China would like to make the following observations:

First, we should remain steadfast in our fight against corruption. Countries should attach importance to anti-corruption cooperation and implement in earnest the UN Convention against Corruption. China looks forward to the success of the Sixth Conference of States Parties to be held in St. Petersburg next month, which will provide new impetus to international anti-corruption cooperation. We hope that countries will strengthen cooperation within the framework of the Convention in apprehending fugitives and recovering assets ill gained from corruption, and achieve more practical results. With the first implementation review cycle close to the end, the review mechanism has been functioning largely smoothly. China supports starting the second review cycle as scheduled and believes that the terms of reference and basic principles of the review mechanism should be effectively followed and maintained.

Second, the role of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocols Thereto should be given full play. An appropriate, pragmatic, and highly efficient implementation review mechanism will be conducive to promoting the implementation of the Convention, and the model, principles, and experience of the review mechanism of the Convention against Corruption should be taken as reference and adopted where appropriate. While China has taken note of a possible role of the civil society in the implementation of the Convention, we believe that implementation review mechanism should be an intergovernmental mechanism and governments of states parties should play the primary role. At the present stage, the participation of the civil society should not be linked to the establishment of the review mechanism.

Third, we should deal with challenges posed by newly emerged crimes in a timely and effective manner. Transnational cybercrime and cyber terrorism are spreading and everyone can see the harms they have done. China has worked hard to push for the discussion of the issue of cybercrime by the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, and has donated funds for the work of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Cyber Crime. China supports an early formulation, on the basis of the work of the Group of Experts and within the framework of the UN, of an international legal instrument with widely accepted authority and universal representation, so as to lay a legal foundation for international cooperation against cybercrime.

Fourth, we should strengthen international cooperation in tackling the challenge of drugs. China appreciates the efforts of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in preparation for the 2016 UN General Assembly Special Session on Drugs (UNGASS). We hope that the special session will make a comprehensive and objective assessment of the implementation of the 2009 Political Declaration and Program of Action, build consensus and promote cooperation. The potentials of the existing international drug control system should be fully tapped and a comprehensive, integrated, and balanced strategy adopted in combating the world’s drug problem. It is necessary to adhere to the principle of “shared responsibilities” and help developing countries with capacity building in drug control through financial assistance, technical cooperation, and information sharing.

Mr. Chairman,

China is executing Operation Fox-Hunt and Operation Sky Net aimed at bringing to justice criminals who committed serious corruption crimes. So far, we have apprehended hundreds of fugitives and recovered hundreds of millions of RMB in assets. China calls on the relevant countries to cooperate with China in this regard. We have participated constructively in drug control cooperation within the frameworks of UNODC, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Mekong River Sub-Region respectively. China actively advances bilateral cooperation in investigation, information exchange, and law enforcement . China has trained drug control agents for neighboring countries and implemented over 200 alternative development projects in relevant countries with the plantation area of substitution crops totaling over 500, 000 acres.

China will continue to firmly move towards rule of law and work together with the international community to advance cooperation in the areas of crime prevention, criminal justice and drug control.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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