The director general of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Tuesday praised China's efforts in combating human trafficking.

William Swing, director general of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), speaks at the opening ceremony of the seminar on Risk Profiling and Identification of Potential Victims Trafficking Workshop, in Beijing, March 2, 2010. The seminar was joint organized by Chinese Foreign Ministry and the IOM. [Xie Huanchi/Xinhua]

Addressing the opening of a workshop in Beijing on China's capacity building for migration management, William Lacy Swing said he recognized and applauded the role that China played as a major force in world migration.

China had made important steps in its efforts to combat people trafficking, said Swing, highlighting initiatives, including a national multi-ministry coordinating mechanism to combat trafficking and the establishment of a special office to combat trafficking of women and children locating in the Ministry of Public Security.

In late 2007, China unveiled a four-year National Plan of Action on Combating Trafficking in Women and Children, mobilizing more than 30 government departments.

In May 2009, the Ministry of Public Security launched a DNA database for trafficked or missing children, designating 43 DNA laboratories affiliated to public security bureaus at provincial and city (county) levels to share and compare DNA information and recover children who had been trafficked when they are too young to remember any details.

These measures taken together emphasized the commitment of the Chinese government to tackle human trafficking and to serve as best practice and a lesson for other nations and agencies, said Swing.

Swing met with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi later Tuesday, when they exchanged views on migration management.

Yang said China was willing to boost cooperation with the international community, including the IOM, in maintaining orderly migration movements, protecting the legitimate rights of migrants and fighting human trafficking.

Swing called for more cooperation between the IOM and China in capacity building for migration management.

Swing is on his first official visit to China since he assumed office on Oct. 1, 2008.

The IOM, with 127 member states, 17 observer states and more than 80 observer organizations, is the sole inter-governmental organization in the migration field. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, the IOM has offices in more than 130 countries. It provides migration related services to governments and migrants. China became an observer state in June 2001.

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