Apart from the increasing cooperation in the political and economic arenas, China and ASEAN are intensifying their efforts to work together in the field of non-traditional security, a senior public security official said.

A recent case in point is that 10 Cambodian police officers were given certificates last week by the Ministry of Public Security, a fresh step for China and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to battle transnational crime.

After a week of criminal investigative technology training course, these police officers represent the first from ASEAN countries to receive training from the Chinese ministry under a long-term China-ASEAN police training program signed in January, the ministry said.

"China and ASEAN member states have had good cooperation in fighting transnational crime," said Liu Zhiqiang, the ministry's foreign affairs department director.

"The training program is expected to improve the skills of police and enhance regional security," Liu said.

In the last week, the Cambodian police officers will conduct on the spot surveys, practicing in Beijing and Shanghai.

China will train 10 police from Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam by the end of August, officials said. The training course includes criminal investigative techniques, surveillance analyses, ammunitions handling, and other criminal investigative technologies.

Additional training courses will be organized for the law enforcement departments of ASEAN members in the future, according to the ministry.

On January 11, China and ASEAN signed a memo of understanding to collaborate in fighting non-traditional crimes, pressing joint efforts in tackling transnational crime, Xinhua reported.

The memo indicates China and ASEAN strongly wish to improve existing transnational crime-fighting, which faces great challenges to the region's peace and development, said Tian Qiyu, vice minister of public security.

The memo places China and ASEAN's efforts to fight non-traditional crimes into words and sets down medium- and long-term goals for additional partnership in this field, experts said.

Non-traditional crime refers to terrorism, money laundering, cyber crime and international economic crime, many of which fit the category of transnational crime.

Drug trafficking, human trafficking, sea piracy and arms smuggling are also covered by the memo.

Under it, the two sides will improve information sharing, personnel exchange and training.

The participation of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea in the efforts had significant meaning for the region to explore holistic, comprehensive and integrated approaches to battling transnational crime, said Thai Justice Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana, according to the report.

Two years ago, China and ASEAN made a joint declaration in which the two sides were determined to similarly strengthen efforts. Last year, the ministry also held another such seminar.

(China Daily July 5, 2004)