Prosecutors helping to build ‘rule of law’

Xi tells international meeting of nation’s focus on the effort

China attaches great importance to advancing the rule of law and is willing to strengthen judicial cooperation with other countries, according to President Xi Jinping.

Xi made the remark in a letter of congratulation to the 22nd annual conference and general meeting of the International Association of Prosecutors, which started on Monday in Beijing.

“As representatives of the public interest, prosecutors shoulder important responsibilities,” Xi wrote. “The annual conference, focusing on prosecution in the public interest and building a safe, fair, harmonious and rule-of-law society, is significant in the progress of the rule of law in the countries involved.”

Xi said China had continuously pushed forward legislation in a scientific way, with strict law-enforcement, justice and complete compliance with laws.

“China works to ensure the country, the government and society are all under the rule of law,” the president said.

“Chinese prosecutorial offices are important players in protecting the national and public interest, since they have the functions of punishing and preventing crime and supervising litigation,” he said.

Xi encouraged prosecutors from all around the world to share their experience in protecting the public interest and advancing the rule of law to deepen judicial cooperation.

Top legislator Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, said at the conference that judicial authorities from across the country, particularly prosecutors, share the same obligation in fighting crime, protecting human rights, cracking corruption and safeguarding justice.

More than 500 IAP members representing prosecuting authorities and international organizations from 98 countries and regions are attending the meeting, which will run through Thursday.

Gerhard Jarosch, president of the association, said the meeting’s aim is to “build up ways to communicate with each other and improve judicial cooperation to find solutions to target cross-border crimes”.

Meng Hongwei, president of the International Criminal Police Organization, said it’s necessary for countries to work together more closely to tackle cross-border crime, including terrorist attacks, human trafficking and illegal immigration.

“As two important international organizations for judicial cooperation, Interpol and the IAP should strengthen high-level strategic cooperation and hold regular meetings annually,” he said in an address at the meeting.

Meng said Interpol will make use of its big police database and share intelligence with relevant countries with its encrypted communications network

David Scharia, chief of branch at the Counter-Terrorism Executive Directorate under the United Nations Security Council, stressed that in recent years, with the development of digital and internet technology, cross-border crimes tend to be more complex and hidden, which has made it more difficult for law enforcement officers to pin down evidence.