ICAC Commissioner Mr Woo Ying-ming today (August 28) concluded a five-day visit to Vienna, Austria. During the fruitful visit, Mr Woo and Ms Monica Juma, the newly appointed Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), held their first bilateral meeting. Mr Woo noted that the ICAC and the UNODC were close partners who have jointly delivered more than 20 initiatives over the past three years, including co-organising training programmes in Hong Kong and capacity-building programmes for jurisdictions worldwide, co-producing anti-corruption guidebooks, and sharing experiences at UNODC meetings. These efforts have earned strong recognition from the international community and benefited law enforcement agencies across dozens of jurisdictions.

The two parties also explored launching a high-level anti-corruption cooperation initiative in Hong Kong next year. Mr Woo anticipated that under the leadership of Ms Juma, the UNODC and the ICAC would continue to deepen collaboration to advance global anti-corruption cause.

A further highlight of the visit was the anti-corruption workshop under UNODC’s Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network), where Mr Woo and ICAC directorates introduced ICAC’s newly developed artificial intelligence (AI) enforcement system “Tianma” and a relevant development blueprint to over 130 experts from about 70 anti-corruption, law enforcement and regulatory agencies. “Fighting tech with better tech is not a slogan for the ICAC but our strategic priority with GlobE Network. While technology keeps evolving, law enforcers must keep pace. We hope this system, which is developed from real experience, will inspire our counterparts to turn technology into their sharpest enforcement weapon,” Mr Woo noted.

Experience sharing by ICAC officers on the development of “Tianma” to enhance corruption investigation in recent years drew overwhelming responses. Experts attending the workshop actively exchanged with ICAC representatives and highly appraised the system, affirming that artificial intelligence represented the future and vision of anti-corruption agencies, which would bring transformation to investigation while enhancing efficiency and effectiveness. Mr Woo stressed that the Commission was always ready to share its experience to guide global graft fighters through the technology arena.

Developed by the ICAC since last year, “Tianma” enhanced corruption investigations by consolidating and analysing information with artificial intelligence, as well as enhancing the effectiveness of computer forensics and forensic accounting. The ICAC would continue to refine the system by incorporating the latest technologies to further enhance investigation quality and efficiency.

During the visit to Vienna, the delegation also met with Mr Yin Haigang, Charge d’affaires of the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations and Other International Organisations in Vienna, to share ICAC’s anti-corruption work.

Accompanying Mr Woo on the duty visit were Director of Investigation (Government Sector) of the Operations Department Mr Choi Shu-keung, Assistant Director Mr Paul Lau Chi-ho, Principal Investigator Mr Eric Yong Chi-hung, Chief International Cooperation Officer Ms Crystal Lee Ngan-yan and Chief Academy Officer Mr Karson Li Tsz-hin. The delegation will return to Hong Kong today.