INDONESIA (INP): A senior Chinese public security official was elected president of the International Criminal Police Organization, a move that gives the country another leading spot in an international agency.
Vice-Minister of Public Security Meng Hongwei was chosen for a four-year term during Interpol’s 85th members’ meeting in Indonesia, becoming the first Chinese to take the post. His predecessor was Mireille Ballestrazzi of France.
Meng promised in a speech to work together with all member states of Interpol to build the international group into a stronger platform for global police cooperation.
Meng said he will also improve coordination among regional and global police forces with a view to building a safer world and a more efficient Interpol that will benefit all member states.
Interpol, which was founded in 1914, has 190 members, making it the second-largest international organization after the United Nations. Its headquarters are in Lyon, France.
“China highly values the role of Interpol and is willing to shoulder more responsibility and make a bigger contribution in pushing forward global law enforcement and security cooperation,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said while congratulating Meng on his new role.
Yu Chengtao, a senior official from the Public Security Ministry’s International Cooperation Bureau, said Meng got rich experience in international law enforcement while serving as vice-minister.
