China's top legislature on Saturday ratified a bilateral treaty of judicial cooperation on criminal cases with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The pact, signed by China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on April 3, was submitted by the State Council, or Cabinet, to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC).

The treaty covers application, implementation and refusal of judicial assistance, criminal evidence collection and dispute resolution.

China ratified an extradition treaty with the UAE in December 2002 and a pact on judiciary assistance in the civil and commercial cases in December 2004.

(Xinhua News Agency December 28, 2008)