Police Minister travels to China

Police Minister Anne Tolley is travelling to Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong from 12-19 July, where she will reinforce the strong crime-fighting cooperation that exists between New Zealand and China.

Included in the trip will be meetings with the Minister of Public Security, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Security, the Hong Kong Commissioner of Police, and a visit to Guangdong Province to meet Police and prosecutor leaders in Guangzhou City. While in Guangzhou the Minister will visit the office where New Zealand’s new Police attaché in Southern China will be based.

The Minister will also present special commemorative service awards to the five Chinese police staff that helped identify victims following the Christchurch earthquake in 2011.

“My meetings will focus on continuing and strengthening our joint efforts on combating narcotics, money-laundering and organised crime,” says Mrs Tolley.

“I’m also looking forward to marking the appointment of our new Police attaché in Guangzhou. This key component of the Government’s Methamphetamine Action Plan, which will help disrupt criminal syndicates trafficking in harmful drugs, is being funded from the confiscated profits of organised crime in New Zealand.

“And it will be an honour to present awards to the disaster specialists who travelled to New Zealand to assist with the identification of Chinese victims of the Christchurch earthquake.”