Joint Liaison Group Opening Plenary Remarks

Ambassador Clark T. Randt, Jr.
Ambassador of the United States of America to China

February 23, 2005 9:15 a.m.

Posted on Feb 23, 2005.

(Approximately 15 minutes, Simultaneous translation)

GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

I AM GRATEFUL TO YOU, VICE FOREIGN MINISTER WU, FOR YOUR INSIGHTFUL REMARKS AND FOR THE WARM WELCOME YOUR TEAM HAS EXTENDED TO ALL OUR VISITORS.

I ALSO WISH TO THANK DIRECTOR GENERAL LIU AND DEPUTY ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL SWARTZ AND DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY VERVILLE FOR SERVING AS CO-CHAIRS FOR THIS IMPORTANT GATHERING.

THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP ON LAW ENFORCEMENT EPITOMIZES THE MUTUAL BENEFITS TO BE REALIZED FROM THE EXPANDING UNITED STATES - CHINA BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP.

I NOTE THAT, AS IS APPROPRIATE, YOU HAVE A SOLID AND AMBITIOUS AGENDA FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS. SINCE THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA LAUNCHED THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP SEVEN YEARS AGO, WE HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY ENHANCED OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT COOPERATION.

THIS COLLABORATION REFLECTS THE POSITIVE PROGRESS IN RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES. AT THE SAME TIME, OUR GROWING NEED TO WORK TOGETHER REFLECTS THE REALITY THAT THE CHALLENGES FACING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS IN BOTH THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA GIVE US NO GROUNDS FOR COMPLACENCY.

AS THE WORLD'S ECONOMY BECOMES INCREASINGLY GLOBALIZED AND SOPHISTICATED, SO DO THREATS FROM TERRORISTS AND TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL ENTERPRISES. ILLICIT TRADE IN EVERYTHING FROM HEROIN TO HUMAN BEINGS TOUCHES ALL COUNTRIES AND ENDANGERS SOCIAL STABILITY AND PEOPLE EVERYWHERE.

WHAT IS MORE, LAWBREAKERS CONSTANTLY INNOVATE. THEY STRIVE TO FIND MORE PROFITABLE VENTURES, SMOOTHER TRAFFICKING ROUTES AND MORE SOPHISTICATED METHODS FOR LAUNDERING THEIR MONEY.

TO COMBAT THESE GRAVE CHALLENGES, THE LEADERS OF THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA HAVE DIRECTED OUR RESPECTIVE NATIONS’ LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITIES TO JOIN TOGETHER IN THIS BATTLE.

NOTHING LESS THAN THE SECURITY OF OUR RESPECTIVE POPULATIONS DEPENDS ON YOUR SUCCESS. THE SUCCESS OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT COOPERATION REQUIRES A CONSTANT EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION AND IDEAS.

THUS, THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF THE BEIJING REPRESENTATIVE OFFICES OF THE UNITED STATES DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY,

THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. NONE OF THESE EXISTED WHEN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP STARTED ITS WORK IN 1998.

• AS A RESULT OF THE 2002 JOINT LIAISON GROUP MEETING, THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA NOW HAVE A MUTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT THAT PROVIDES FOR BETTER INFORMATION SHARING ON CASES UNDER INVESTIGATION.

IN ADDITION, THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA HAVE STEPPED UP COOPERATION ON FIGHTING INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, ILLEGAL NARCOTICS, MONEY LAUNDERING AND TERRORISM, TO NAME JUST A FEW AREAS OF COMMON CONCERN.

SOME OF THE FRUITS OF THIS CLOSE COOPERATION ARE:

• THE SO-CALLED "CITY LIGHTS" OR "125" CASE RESULTED IN THE ARREST OF OVER 30 DRUG TRAFFICKING zzSUSPECTS AND THE SEIZURE OF LARGE AMOUNTS OF HEROIN IN BOTH THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA.
• THE RETURN TO CHINA OF YU ZHENDONG, WHO WAS WANTED HERE FOR EMBEZZLING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
• THE RETURN TO CHINA OF A 10TH CENTURY SCULPTURE

IN THIS SPIRIT, WE ARE COOPERATING ON THE CONTAINER SECURITY INITIATIVE TO PREVENT TERRORISTS FROM USING SHIPPING CONTAINERS TO SMUGGLE WEAPONS OR OTHER DANGEROUS MATERIALS. LAST YEAR, FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION DIRECTOR ROBERT MUELLER VISITED CHINA TO DISCUSS FUTURE COOPERATION.

IN 2002, ATTORNEY GENERAL JOHN ASHCROFT VISITED.

IN 2003, COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION ROBERT BONNER VISITED TO SIGN THE CONTAINER SECURITY INITIATIVE AGREEMENT. DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY ADMINISTRATOR KAREN TANDY WILL BE IN BEIJING TOMORROW.

IN 2004, WE WELCOMED VICE MINISTER FOR PUBLIC SECURITY ZHAO YONGJI TO THE UNITED STATES. WE ARE EAGER TO SEE MORE HIGH-LEVEL LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTACTS IN THE COMING YEARS.

MORE CONTACT, MORE COOPERATION AND MORE CONCRETE RESULTS ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT FRONT ADD UP TO A SAFER WORLD FOR THE PEOPLES OF BOTH THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA. BUT THE THREAT REMAINS POTENT. DESPITE OUR SOLID PROGRESS, TERRORISM, NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING AND HUMAN SMUGGLING HAVE NOT ABATED AS MAJOR DANGERS TO OUR SOCIETIES.

THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA TOGETHER MUST DIRECTLY COMBAT THESE THREATS BY ATTACKING THEIR SOURCES OF FUNDING AND SUPPORT: CYBER CRIME, ILLEGAL GAMBLING, PROSTITUTION, MONEY LAUNDERING, PIRACY AND COMMERCE IN COUNTERFEIT PRODUCTS.

ACHIEVING OUR GOALS WILL REQUIRE RESOLUTE AND LONG-TERM EFFORTS FROM BOTH OUR GREAT COUNTRIES AND PARTICULARLY FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT AND LEGAL PROFESSIONALS IN THIS ROOM TODAY.

THERE IS A PROVERB CURRENTLY IN FAVOR IN THE CHINESE PRESS WHEN COVERING LAW ENFORCEMENT ISSUES: FA WANG HUI HUI, SHU ER BU LOU, WHICH ROUGHLY TRANSLATES AS "LARGE THOUGH THE MESH MAY BE, THE WIDE NET OF JUSTICE LETS NO CRIMINAL THROUGH."

LET US CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO CAST THE NET OF JUSTICE WIDER AND WIDER TO MAKE THE WORLD A PLACE WHERE CRIME TRULY DOES NOT PAY.

THANK YOU.