Chair,

At the outset, on behalf of Ms. HE Rong, Minister of Justice of China, and the Chinese delegation, let me congratulate you and other members of the Bureau on your election. I am confident that under your outstanding leadership and the concerted efforts of all delegations, this session will achieve a complete success. We would also like to thank the Secretariat for their efforts in preparing for this session.

Chair, 

At present, the human society faces multiple crises and challenges, and strengthening solidarity and collaboration is the only way forward. Chinese President XI Jinping has proposed the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind, as well as the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative, encouraging countries to enhance international cooperation and jointly combat transnational crime. China stands ready to work with the international community on the platform of the CCPCJ to advance the implementation of the above vision and initiatives, thus contributing China’s solutions to crime prevention and combat as well as to the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  

The Chinese government has consistently attached great importance to the rule of law and prioritized crime prevention and criminal justice. Over the past year, guided by President XI Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, we have spared no effort in advancing the Chinese modernization under the framework of the rule of law, striving to build a safer and more law-based China, and effectively safeguarding national security and the interests of the people.  

First, improving criminal legislation. We have strengthened legislation in key, emerging, and foreign-related fields, deeply advanced sound, democratic, and law-based legislation, revised the Cultural Relics Protection Law, promoted the codification of the Ecological and Environment Code, amended the Anti-Money Laundering Law and the Emergency Response Law, and deliberated the draft Hazardous Chemicals Safety Law. The socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics has become more sound, comprehensive, uniform, and authoritative. 

Second, strengthening criminal law enforcement. We have implemented the holistic approach to national security, normalized the campaign against organized crime, and cracked down on illegal and criminal activities such as crimes related to firearms and explosives, theft, robbery and fraud, especially telecom fraud, prostitution, gambling, especially cross-border gambling, and drug-related crimes, in accordance with the law. We have been strengthening international law enforcement cooperation to prevent and combat all types of transnational crimes, and maintained stable public security nationwide. 

Third, deepening criminal justice. We have fully implemented the holistic approach to national security, and punished crimes that harm the vital interests of the public, such as organized crime, intentional homicide, drug offenses, corruption, human trafficking, and cybercrime. We have consolidated and deepened judicial reforms, respected and protected human rights, comprehensively implemented the criminal policy of balancing leniency and severity, strengthened prosecutorial oversight, and upheld fairness in justice administration and law enforcement. 

Fourth, advancing penalty execution and legal services. We have standardized prison management and community corrections in accordance with the law to improve quality of education and rehabilitation and reduce recidivism. We have lawfully enforced compulsory isolation for detoxification, carried out drug rehabilitation programs, and supported and guided community-based detoxification and rehabilitation, thereby educating and rehabilitating drug users, reducing drug-related crimes, and maintaining social harmony and stability. We have been strengthening public legal services and deepening the reforms of systems for lawyers, notarization, arbitration, mediation, forensic expertise, and legal aid, with a view to laying a solid foundation for a law-based society and providing higher-quality and more efficient legal services to the public.

Fifth, actively engaging in international cooperation on criminal matters. We have actively engaged in cooperation with the UNODC and other international organizations, and concluded extradition treaties, mutual legal assistance treaties, sentenced person transfer treaties, and asset recovery and sharing agreements with over 80 countries. We have established bilateral judicial and law enforcement cooperation mechanisms with multiple countries, and collaborated with relevant countries based on treaties, conventions, or reciprocity to effectively prevent and combat crime.

Chair,  

The global crime situation remains severe. The international community should further strengthen cooperation on the basis of mutual respect for national sovereignty. In this regard, the CCPCJ and the UNODC have played a positive role, which China appreciates and will continue to support. China calls on all countries to unite and collaborate on the platform of the CCPCJ to address various crime issues, uphold the consensus-based "Vienna spirit", and oppose politicization and "double standards." In this regard, China proposes the following:  

1. Further forge consensus and strengthen responsibility in preventing and combating transnational crime. Countries should firmly uphold multilateralism, and safeguard the international system with the UN at its core and the international order based on international law. Guided by the standard of promoting and serving sustainable development, countries should improve relevant laws, regulations and policies, facilitate experience exchange and sharing, and strengthen capacity-building

2. Strengthen practical cooperation to build a robust international network against transnational crime and corruption. Countries should further promote universal accession to and earnest implementation of the UN Convention against Corruption and the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, advance their implementation review mechanisms steadily, and enhance bilateral and multilateral cooperation in anti-corruption and combating transnational organized crime based on these conventions.

3. Enhance global coordination to effectively address emerging crimes. Countries should accurately grasp global crime trends and latest dynamics, strengthen research on and responses to various emerging crimes, fully respect the sovereign equality of all nations, take into account national circumstances and universal applicability, give due consideration to the needs of developing countries as much as possible in capacity-building and technical assistance, and provide a balanced and effective legal framework for judicial and law enforcement cooperation among nations.

Chair,  

At present, the world order is undergoing profound changes, and human society is facing multiple challenges. In the face of an international environment fraught with changes and chaos, China will firmly remain a force for peace, stability, and progress in the world. Holding high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit, China will work together with the international community to address various global challenges. The Ministry of Justice of China will actively expand and deepen cooperation with the UNODC, other countries and relevant international organizations, in the fields of crime prevention and criminal justice, so as to make even greater contributions to the development of the rule of law worldwide!

Thank you!