A BRIEF REPORT ON WORKING VISIT TO CHINA, KOREA AND THE PHILLIPINES FROM 4th TO 12th JULY 2013 BY THE ASEANAPOL SECRETARIAT

 In response to the Plan of Action endorsed at the 33th ASEANAPOL Conference in Pattaya, Thailand 2013, whereby the ASEANAPOL Secretariat was tasked to coordinate and request with Dialogue Partners to provide training courses and capacity building on Human Trafficking, Cyber Crime and Peace Keeping Missions,  a delegation headed by the Executive Director had a successful working visit from 4 to 12 July 2013 to China, Korea and The Phillipines.

The delegates first met His Excellency Liao Jinrong, Director-General of International Cooperation Department, Ministry of Public Security, People’s Republic of China (MPS). In the course of discussion, the MPS showed multifarious cooperation and interest to work with ASEANAPOL. The MPS agreed in principle to provide training courses for senior police officers/trainers vis-à-vis training for trainers (TOT) from ASEAN member countries on Peace Keeping Missions at their Peace Keeping Base. The delegates also visited Beijing Police College and Shandong Police College where the delegates were briefed on facilities and courses conducted.

Then the delegates were warmly welcomed by His Excellency An Jae-Kyung, Deputy Commissioner- General of Korean National Police Agency (KNPA).  The KNPA appreciated the task undertaken by the Secretariat. His Excellency informed that KNPA has sent many of its officers abroad to train on cyber crime but took into consideration to provide training courses on Human Trafficking or Cyber Crime. Additionally, the Secretariat also visited Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency where the delegates were briefed on how response team 112 and traffic units operate.

Finally, the delegates met the chief of Philippine National Police, Director-General His Excellency Alan La Madrid Purisima and discussed about the 34^th ASEANAPOL Conference which will be held in the Philippines in 2014 and pledge the Secretariat’s support in organizing this event.  Lastly, the delegates also met the former president of the Philippines and former chief of the PNP, His Excellency Fidel A. Ramos. The purpose was to obtain first hand information about the 1^st ASEANAPOL Conference hosted by His Excellency in 1981 to be published in the ASEANAPOL Secretariat’s inaugural bulletin as well as to obtain insights into future strategic directions of ASEANAPOL.

It was indeed a fruitful working visit and the Secretariat appreciated their high spirit of cooperation towards ASEANAPOL. In this regard, the Secretariat intends to invite all contact persons from Dialogue Partners to attend the 4^th ASEANAPOL Contact persons Meeting to be held in Penang, Malaysia from 7 to 11 October 2013. This would enable the Secret ariat to follow up all tasks from member countries and Dialogue Partners to be reported at the ASEANAPOL Conference.