A bilateral treaty on criminal judicial assistance with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is expected to be ratified by China's top legislature in a week.

The pact was submitted by the State Council, or cabinet, to the sixth session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) for deliberation on Monday.

The treaty was signed here by China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on April 3.

The pact accords with Chinese legal principles, judicial practices, interests and needs, according to the statement submitted to the NPC Standing Committee. The agreement will promote judicial cooperation and further the friendly, cooperative relationship, the statement said.

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 fields in December 2004.

(Xinhua News Agency December 22, 2008)