Senior Chinese official call for more international anti-corruption cooperation

Senior Chinese official Meng Jianzhu on Sunday reiterated the significance of the fight against corruption and called on the international community to carry out closer cooperation. Meng, secretary of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at the fifth seminar of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities, which began on Sunday in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province. Curbing corruption is a long and arduous task and is also the common responsibility of governments of all countries, he said. China is willing to further increase exchanges and cooperation with the international community on anti-corruption in a more vigorous, open, and pragmatic manner, according to Meng. The official also suggested that the international cooperation be based on mutual respect and trust. Cao Jianmin, Procurator-General of China's Supreme People's Procuratorate, said that anti-corruption agencies in different countries and regions should carry out more close cooperation in investigation, recovering stolen assets and extradition to crack down on transnational and trans-regional corruption. Cao expressed the hope that under the premise of respecting each other's sovereignty, anti-corruption agencies of various countries and regions will further cooperation on technical assistance and exchange of information with a more positive, open and flexible attitude, so as to push for healthy development of international anti-corruption drive. He also stressed that to support and improve anti-corruption capabilities of the developing countries should be the emphasis of the cooperation in technical assistance and exchange of information. He also suggested financial donations, material support and skill traing for developing countries to help improve their capabilities to prevent and punish crime of corruption.