ICAC Commissioner visits Mainland to foster co-operation in graft fight
2002-11-18
The Commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), Mr Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong, today (Monday) led a delegation to visit Beijing and Guangzhou to foster ties with the anti-graft agency's Mainland counterparts.
This is Mr Lee's first official visit to the Mainland since he took up his post of ICAC Commissioner in July this year.
Mr Lee said the ICAC has established over the years a good working relationship with the Mainland counterparts in fighting cross-boundary corruption.
"The visit will further enhance cooperation and liaison with the Mainland authorities on the operational and educational fronts," Mr Lee said.
In Beijing, the delegation will visit the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, the Ministry of Supervision, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP).
The delegation will also call on the Office of the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Beijing.
In Guangzhou, the delegation will visit the Guangdong Provincial People's Procuratorate (GDPP), the Guangdong Provincial People's Government, the Guangdong Public Security Bureau, and the Guangdong Supervision Bureau.
Procurator General of SPP, Mr Han Zhubin, and Chief Procurator of GDPP, Mr Zhang Xuejun, will be among the senior Mainland officials to be met by the delegation during the five-day visit.
"Solid co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland in anti-corruption work commenced as early as 1988 when the ICAC and the GDPP instituted the Mutual Case Assistance Scheme to provide mutual assistance in interviewing voluntary witnesses relating to corruption investigations in each other's jurisdiction.
"Since March 2000, the Scheme was further enhanced with the direct involvement of SPP to provide assistance in cases outside the Guangdong Province," Mr Lee said.
Since the inception of the Scheme, ICAC officers have travelled to the Mainland on 195 occasions to interview 312 witnesses. On 347 occasions, officials from GDPP and other Mainland procuratorates visited Hong Kong, interviewing 717 witnesses.
Last year, the ICAC arranged more than 220 talks on Hong Kong's anti-corruption work for a record number of over 6,700 Mainland officials visiting Hong Kong.
In the first 10 months this year, 233 such talks have been held for 7,028 Mainland officials.
Accompanying Mr Lee on his visit are Mr Gilbert Chan Tak-shing, Director of Investigation (Government Sector); Mr Thomas Chan Chi-sun, Director of Corruption Prevention; Mrs Susan Mak Lok Suet-ling, Director of Community Relations; and four other ICAC off icers.
The delegation will return to Hong Kong on November 22 (Friday).
This is Mr Lee's first official visit to the Mainland since he took up his post of ICAC Commissioner in July this year.
Mr Lee said the ICAC has established over the years a good working relationship with the Mainland counterparts in fighting cross-boundary corruption.
"The visit will further enhance cooperation and liaison with the Mainland authorities on the operational and educational fronts," Mr Lee said.
In Beijing, the delegation will visit the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, the Ministry of Supervision, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP).
The delegation will also call on the Office of the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Beijing.
In Guangzhou, the delegation will visit the Guangdong Provincial People's Procuratorate (GDPP), the Guangdong Provincial People's Government, the Guangdong Public Security Bureau, and the Guangdong Supervision Bureau.
Procurator General of SPP, Mr Han Zhubin, and Chief Procurator of GDPP, Mr Zhang Xuejun, will be among the senior Mainland officials to be met by the delegation during the five-day visit.
"Solid co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland in anti-corruption work commenced as early as 1988 when the ICAC and the GDPP instituted the Mutual Case Assistance Scheme to provide mutual assistance in interviewing voluntary witnesses relating to corruption investigations in each other's jurisdiction.
"Since March 2000, the Scheme was further enhanced with the direct involvement of SPP to provide assistance in cases outside the Guangdong Province," Mr Lee said.
Since the inception of the Scheme, ICAC officers have travelled to the Mainland on 195 occasions to interview 312 witnesses. On 347 occasions, officials from GDPP and other Mainland procuratorates visited Hong Kong, interviewing 717 witnesses.
Last year, the ICAC arranged more than 220 talks on Hong Kong's anti-corruption work for a record number of over 6,700 Mainland officials visiting Hong Kong.
In the first 10 months this year, 233 such talks have been held for 7,028 Mainland officials.
Accompanying Mr Lee on his visit are Mr Gilbert Chan Tak-shing, Director of Investigation (Government Sector); Mr Thomas Chan Chi-sun, Director of Corruption Prevention; Mrs Susan Mak Lok Suet-ling, Director of Community Relations; and four other ICAC off icers.
The delegation will return to Hong Kong on November 22 (Friday).