by Mr. Chen Xunqiu,

Vice Minister of Justice and Head of the Chinese Delegation

16 April 2009

Mr. chairman,

First of all, please allow me, on behalf of my delegation, to congratulate you and other members of the bureau on your election. I am confident that under your able leadership this session will be a full success. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the UNODC  secretariat and its staff for their hard work in preparing for this session.

Mr. chairman,

In recent years, thanks to the efforts of UN Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Program, the international community has become increasingly aware of the harm of crime and gradually stepped up measures to prevent and combat crime. In the area of crime prevention and criminal justice, relevant institutions such as UNODC and CCPCJ have played a positive role. My delegation appreciates this role and hopes to see and supports a bigger role for them in preventing and fighting crime, and maintaining peace and development around the world.

Mr. chairman,

As is well known to all, with the development of economic globalization and due to the impact of the current financial crisis, transnational organized crime, corruption crime, terrorist crime as well as other forms of crime have grown increasingly serious, posing a grave threat to peace, development, social stability and progress and bringing suffering to people in various countries. These crimes cannot be addressed at the root through punishment alone. My delegation deems it incumbent upon the international community to further strengthen cooperation and, parallel to efforts to combat crime, put emphasis on prevention targeting the various causes of crime in the light of different national conditions so as to prevent crime from happening.

Mr. chairman,

The Chinese government attaches great importance to preventing and combating crime and made efforts to improve domestic legislation, increase the effectiveness of efforts to prevent and combat crime and strengthen international cooperation. The Chinese government has placed particular emphasis on crime prevention. In 1997, the government adopted a guiding principle of strengthening an integrated approach to public security and combining punishment with prevention with emphasis on prevention. In recent years, the Chinese government has been pursuing a criminal justice policy combining severe punishment with leniency, aimed at reconciling differences, reducing confrontation, promoting harmony, containing, preventing and reducing crime and maintaining social stability to the maximum extent.

In terms of combating crime, China has in place specialized agencies responsible for the investigation and prevention of organized crime. In recent years, law enforcement agencies have carried out a number of operations against criminal organizations of a mafia character, smuggling offences and economic crimes, and dismantled quite a few violent-crime and economic-crime organizations as well as smuggling rings. Anti-corruption authorities have always tackled corruption offenses as a matter of the highest priority and achieved significant results. China has considerably amended its penal legislation in recent years. On the basis of the penal code amended in 1997 and in light of developments in the crime situation since then, we adopted this past February 28 the 7^th amendment to the penal code, with tougher sanctions for crimes like corruption and violent crimes, which cause serious harm to life and property. In the area of international cooperation,  China has ratified UNCTOC and UNCAC, and concluded over 600 bilateral judicial cooperation treaties and agreements with more than 60 countries, most of which involve mutual assistance in criminal matters; acceded to 25 multilateral conventions containing provisions on international judicial cooperation, and conducted cooperation with relevant countries in the transfer of proceedings of convicts. The Chinese ministry of justice is prepared to establish with its counterparts in other countries, neighbouring countries in particular, exchange and consultation mechanisms aimed at strengthening international judicial cooperation to carry out substantive cooperation in various forms. The Chinese government has always attached great importance to and supported the work of UNODC and the two sides have established good cooperative relations. Last year, China's ministry of justice and UNODC successfully organized seminars on countering money-laundering and terrorism financing, yielding positive results.

Mr. chairman,

My delegation is of the view that UNODC has done fruitful work in recent years in helping member states ratify and implement relevant international conventions. However, considerable political, economic, cultural and social development differences among countries and the effect of the international financial crisis have caused a plunge in contributions to and financial difficulties for UNODC. My delegations hopes that member states, while strengthening policy guidance to UNODC, pay attention to the financial situation of and increase financial support to UNODC . We endorse the establishment of a standing working group and a regular-budget financial system to improve the financial situation of and permit a better role for UNODC.

Closer international cooperation, an effective response and a holistic approach are crucial to effectively prevent and combat transnational organized crime. Here my delegation calls on UN member states which have not yet done so to accelerate the process of acceding to and ratifying the relevant international conventions such as UNCTOC and UNCAC, and carry out extensive and pragmatic international judicial cooperation, including extradition, recovery and return of proceeds of crime and cross-border investigation and evidence-taking, within the framework of relevant UN conventions and bilateral treaties on judicial cooperation in criminal matters already signed, acceded to and ratified. Countries and international organizations concerned should provide to the many developing countries technical assistance aimed at building their capacity to prevent and combat transnational crime in conformity with the conventions. In my delegation's view, preparations now underway at UNODC for the 12^th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice are fruitful. The Chinese government will continue to provide what support it can for those preparations.

In conclusion, I would like, on behalf of the Chinese delegation, to reiterate the Chinese government's readiness as always to strengthen cooperation with other member states and relevant international organizations within the UN framework and contribute, along with the international community, to efforts to effectively prevent, control and combat various forms of crime.

Thank you, Mr. chairman.