ICAC Commissioner visits Guangdong and Macao to enhance anti-graft cooperation
2008-1-15
The ICAC Commissioner, Mr Timothy Tong Hin-ming, has led a delegation to visit anti-graft authorities and procuratorates in Guangdong province and Macao to foster closer cooperation in light of the latest economic and social development.
Mr Tong today (Tuesday) first met with the Chief Procurator of the Guangdong Provincial People’s Procuratorate (GDPP), Mr Zhang Xuejun, during his first official visit to the two places as the Commissioner of the ICAC.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Tong said: “Hong Kong and Guangdong have cemented closer ties in economic, infrastructure and livelihood development in recent years. The ICAC and Guangdong procuratorates are prepared to enhance cooperation in both breadth and depth to maintain a favourable busines s environment, and promote economic prosperity and stability in both places.”
He said GDPP and ICAC had long established a solid foundation in cooperation in law enforcement and corruption prevention work. At the meeting today, both sides had substantial discussions and exchanged views on the latest anti-corruption work, as well a s the progress in the joint production of a corruption prevention guidebook.
The guidebook, to be officially launched in the second quarter of this year, is tailor-made for small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with cross-boundary business.
It aims to deepen the knowledge of SMEs about anti-corruption laws in both jurisdictions, and assist them in strengthening system control to prevent corruption.
“The joint production is a timely initiative to help SMEs in consolidating corruption prevention in their companies,” said Mr Tong.
About 80,000 Hong Kong-funded SMEs are operating in the Pearl River Delta Region, employing a workforce of about 10 million. Several thousands Mainland-funded enterprises are running their business in Hong Kong and the number is expected to rise.
At the meeting, Mr Tong expressed special thanks to Mr Zhang for his contribution in the past 20 years to the anti-corruption work and economic development in Guangdong and Hong Kong.
With the full support of Mr Zhang, GDPP and ICAC introduced the Mutual Case Assistance Scheme in 1988, which formed the cornerstone for anti-graft cooperation between Hong Kong and the Mainland; and also jointly produced in 1995 and 1998 two corruption pr evention guidebooks for investors in Guangdong and Hong Kong.
Under the Mutual Case Assistance Scheme, GDPP and ICAC officers can interview witnesses in each other’s jurisdiction for corruption investigations. The scheme has proved to be effective in facilitating the work of combating cross-boundary corruption.
ICAC and GDPP officers have interviewed a total of more than 570 witnesses on both sides of the border between 2000 and the end of 2007. The scheme has contributed to the ICAC’s success in cracking a number of corruption cases involving Mainland citizens or companies.
For instance, in an insurance fraud case, the ICAC had interviewed a number of Mainland witnesses, resulting in the successful prosecution of a businessman using forged Mainland death certificate to swindle a substantial amount of insurance claims in Hong Kong.
The ICAC delegation today also met Mr Qin Tonghai, Vice-director of Guangdong’s Department of Supervision and senior officials of the Guangdong Public Security Bureau.
In the coming two days, the delegation will visit the Zhuhai Municipal People’s Procuratorate and Department of Supervision, the Macao Commission Against Corruption and the Macao Public Prosecutions Office to further enhance anti-corruption cooperation.
Officials accompanying Mr Tong during the visit include Director of Investigation (Private Sector), Mr Francis Lee Chun-sang; Director of Community Relations, Mr Thomas Chan Chi-sun; Assistant Director of Community Relations, Ms Julie Mu Fee-man, and Assi stant Director of Corruption Prevention, Mr Samuel Hui Kwok-ting.
The visit will conclude this Thursday (January 17).
Mr Tong today (Tuesday) first met with the Chief Procurator of the Guangdong Provincial People’s Procuratorate (GDPP), Mr Zhang Xuejun, during his first official visit to the two places as the Commissioner of the ICAC.
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Tong said: “Hong Kong and Guangdong have cemented closer ties in economic, infrastructure and livelihood development in recent years. The ICAC and Guangdong procuratorates are prepared to enhance cooperation in both breadth and depth to maintain a favourable busines s environment, and promote economic prosperity and stability in both places.”
He said GDPP and ICAC had long established a solid foundation in cooperation in law enforcement and corruption prevention work. At the meeting today, both sides had substantial discussions and exchanged views on the latest anti-corruption work, as well a s the progress in the joint production of a corruption prevention guidebook.
The guidebook, to be officially launched in the second quarter of this year, is tailor-made for small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with cross-boundary business.
It aims to deepen the knowledge of SMEs about anti-corruption laws in both jurisdictions, and assist them in strengthening system control to prevent corruption.
“The joint production is a timely initiative to help SMEs in consolidating corruption prevention in their companies,” said Mr Tong.
About 80,000 Hong Kong-funded SMEs are operating in the Pearl River Delta Region, employing a workforce of about 10 million. Several thousands Mainland-funded enterprises are running their business in Hong Kong and the number is expected to rise.
At the meeting, Mr Tong expressed special thanks to Mr Zhang for his contribution in the past 20 years to the anti-corruption work and economic development in Guangdong and Hong Kong.
With the full support of Mr Zhang, GDPP and ICAC introduced the Mutual Case Assistance Scheme in 1988, which formed the cornerstone for anti-graft cooperation between Hong Kong and the Mainland; and also jointly produced in 1995 and 1998 two corruption pr evention guidebooks for investors in Guangdong and Hong Kong.
Under the Mutual Case Assistance Scheme, GDPP and ICAC officers can interview witnesses in each other’s jurisdiction for corruption investigations. The scheme has proved to be effective in facilitating the work of combating cross-boundary corruption.
ICAC and GDPP officers have interviewed a total of more than 570 witnesses on both sides of the border between 2000 and the end of 2007. The scheme has contributed to the ICAC’s success in cracking a number of corruption cases involving Mainland citizens or companies.
For instance, in an insurance fraud case, the ICAC had interviewed a number of Mainland witnesses, resulting in the successful prosecution of a businessman using forged Mainland death certificate to swindle a substantial amount of insurance claims in Hong Kong.
The ICAC delegation today also met Mr Qin Tonghai, Vice-director of Guangdong’s Department of Supervision and senior officials of the Guangdong Public Security Bureau.
In the coming two days, the delegation will visit the Zhuhai Municipal People’s Procuratorate and Department of Supervision, the Macao Commission Against Corruption and the Macao Public Prosecutions Office to further enhance anti-corruption cooperation.
Officials accompanying Mr Tong during the visit include Director of Investigation (Private Sector), Mr Francis Lee Chun-sang; Director of Community Relations, Mr Thomas Chan Chi-sun; Assistant Director of Community Relations, Ms Julie Mu Fee-man, and Assi stant Director of Corruption Prevention, Mr Samuel Hui Kwok-ting.
The visit will conclude this Thursday (January 17).