See also   Speech by Commissioner of Hong Kong Police, Mr Tang King-Shing (07/03/2008)   Speech by Mr. KHOO Boon Hui - INTERPOL Vice President for Asia (07/03/2008)   Opening Speech by the Honourable Henry Tang, Acting Chief Executive (05/03/2008)   Speech by Mr. MENG Hong Wei, Vice Minister of Public Security (05/03/2008)   Opening remarks by Ronald K. Noble, INTERPOL Secretary General (05/03/2008)

View more photos The conference was officially opened by (from right to left) Vice Minister Meng Hong Wei, Ministry of Public Security, People’s Republic of China, Henry Tang, Acting Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble. (from left to right) INTERPOL Vice President for Asia, Mr. Khoo Boon Hui, INTERPOL Secretary General Noble, Acting Hong Kong (SAR) Chief Executive Henry Tang, Mr. Meng Hong Wei, Vice Minister, Ministry of Public Security, People’s Republic of China, and Mr. Tang King Shing, Commissioner of the Hong Kong Police Force, took part in the opening ceremony.

HONG KONG, China – INTERPOL’s Asian Regional Conference opened today, bringing together senior law enforcement officers from 32 countries to discuss methods of enhancing co-operation to combat all forms of transnational crime including terrorism and child sex tourism.

The conference will focus on the need for law enforcement officers to make better use of technology, in particular expanding access to INTERPOL’s global databases beyond the National Central Bureaus (NCBs) to all law enforcement officers working throughout INTERPOL member countries.

Addressing the participants the Vice-Minister from China’s Ministry of Public Security, Mr Meng Hong Wei, emphasised the need for all countries and regions to work together.

“As a result of globalisation of regional economy, countries in the same region often share issues of common interest when dealing with transnational crime. Co-operation therefore is essential and imperative,” said Vice-Minister Meng.

Highlighting the regional successes of Operations Soga - tackling illegal soccer gambling, and Jupiter Southeast Asia - targeting pharmaceutical counterfeiting, INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble said that while the rate of information exchange had greatly increased, member countries needed to remain steadfast in their commitment to continued co-operation both at the regional and global level.

“The reality of policing in the 21st century is that any major investigation should include the consultation of regional and global databases. The days of thinking that we can thoroughly investigate serious crime using national resources alone are behind us,” said Mr Noble.

“The imminent linking of ASEANAPOL’s database to INTERPOL’s secure global communication system, I-24/7, connecting 186 member countries, will significantly assist police forces in Asia to identify crucial leads in their major international investigations that they otherwise might miss.”

Looking ahead to the Beijing Olmpic Games, Acting Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China Henry Tang said it was an exciting time for the country and the people of Hong Kong.

Nearly 120 delegates from throughout Asia, the South Pacific and the Middle East are attending the three-day conference which marks more than 40 years of co-operation between member countries in the region since the first Asian Regional Conference in Japan in 1967.