Mainland, Taiwan vow to jointly fight cross-Straits crimes

Source: Xinhua | 04-27-2009 08:18

NANJING, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Top negotiators from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan reached a consensus Sunday on mutual judicial assistance in an attempt to jointly crack down on severe crimes such as murder, smuggling, human trafficking and terrorist activities.

The mainland-based Association for Relations Across the  Taiwan Straits (ARATS) President Chen Yunlin (R, Front)  and the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF)  Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (L, Front) sign agreements at  a signing ceremony in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, on April 26, 2009. The Chinese mainland and Taiwan signed here on Sunday afternoon agreements on launching regular  flights across the Taiwan Straits, enhancing financial  cooperation, and jointly cracking down on crimes and  offering mutual judicial assistance.(Xinhua/Sun Can)

According to the agreement, the two negotiating bodies will meet on a case-by-case basis regarding suspects who may have broken a law that is considered illegal in one region, but not the other.

Other major crimes listed for the joint crackdown include robbery, hijacking and economic wrongdoing, such as money laundering and falsifying currencies and securities.

The two sides agreed to exchange crime-related information and help each other investigate cases and collect evidence. Each side is also responsible for helping the other to identify witnesses, seize and repatriate criminals and suspects.