General Lương Tam Quang (centre), Minister of Public Security of Việt Nam, and other delegates at the conference. — VNA/VNS Photo Phạm Kiên

HÀ NỘI — A conference of law enforcement leaders from ASEAN countries opened on Wednesday in Hà Nội, with attendees discussing ways to cooperate in the fight against transnational crime.

The event was chaired and organised by the Ministry of Public Security of Việt Nam with the theme 'Strengthening regional cooperation for an ASEAN that upholds the rule of law and has no fugitive criminals'.

In his opening address at the conference, Minister of Public Security General Lương Tam Quang said that amid globalisation and deep international integration, transnational crime and especially fugitive crime are developing in complicated ways. They have become a major challenge for law enforcement agencies in the region and around the world, Quang added.

Since the beginning of this year, transnational crime has been on the rise in ASEAN countries, especially crimes related to drugs, human trafficking and increasingly sophisticated cyber fraud. Conference participants said the increase is due in part to global and regional conditions and domestic socio-economic fluctuations.

At the same time, the number of fugitive criminals and people committing illegal acts in the territories of ASEAN member countries has increased, seriously affecting the rule of law and weakening the criminal justice system.

This trend poses a major challenge, requiring deeper international cooperation among regional and global law enforcement agencies to combat and prevent transnational crime.

Quang said, as a multilateral cooperation mechanism, ASEAN was a top priority for Việt Nam.

After more than 30 years as the association's member, Việt Nam has taken the initiative and made important contributions to promoting a united and self-reliant ASEAN that plays a central role in maintaining regional peace, stability and security.

To boost cooperation in the fight against fugitive criminals in the new era, Việt Nam proposed an initiative titled 'ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Enhancing Cooperation in Locating and Arresting Criminal Fugitives' for adoption at the 47th ASEAN Summit, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on October 26 last year.

The adoption of the declaration is expected to enhance coordination in the pursuit, arrest and sentencing of wanted criminals between Việt Nam and other ASEAN countries, developing regional collaboration in the fight against transnational crime and upholding the vision of a crime-free ASEAN.

The ASEAN law enforcement leaders' conference is an important forum to enhance connectivity and improve the effectiveness of cooperation in the effort to combat transnational crime and fugitive criminals in the ASEAN region. It also contributes to the implementation of the ASEAN Action Plan on the Fight Against Transnational Crime from 2026 to 2035.

“Through the conference, we continue to uphold Việt Nam’s commitment as an active and responsible participant in ASEAN’s multilateral cooperation mechanisms in the field of security and crime prevention and combat, helping to create and maintain peace and security in each member country and in the region,” Quang said.

The public security minister expressed his belief that the success of the conference would create a new cooperation mechanism for ASEAN law enforcement agencies in the work of fighting fugitive criminals and contributing to the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 in the spirit of 'A Self-Reliant, Innovative, Dynamic and People-Centred ASEAN'.

The event includes plenary, discussion and working sessions and aims to reach agreement on strategic orientations in the fight against fugitive criminals, with a focus on the Joint Declaration of the Conference and the ASEAN Joint Action Plan on Strengthening Cooperation in the Fight Against Fugitive Criminals. — VNS