US and China to cooperate more on terrorism
Sat Nov 19, 2005 4:11 AM ET
BEIJING (Reuters) - The United States and China hope to strengthen shared efforts to fight terrorism and "pirate" copying of goods, Washington's top justice official said on Saturday.
U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales told a news conference in Beijing he had discussed expanding cooperation with Chinese justice and police officials in talks before President George W. Bush arrives in Beijing later on Saturday for a three-day visit.
China says its biggest terrorist threat comes from separatist forces in its far-western region of Xinjiang, where most of the population is Muslim and belongs to the Uighur ethnic group. But international human rights groups and advocates of Xinjiang independence say China has exaggerated the threat in the region to suppress legitimate protest.
Asked about the U.S. stance on China's efforts to combat terrorism in Xinjiang, Gonzales said: "We committed to try to be as helpful as we can, and cooperative as we can, with the Chinese government."
Gonzales said the United States and China had established "liaison groups" to cooperate on counter-terrorism, and the two countries were also considering forming more such teams. He declined to be more specific.
The Chinese Communist Party's top law-and-order official, Luo Gan, told Gonzales: "We hope that both sides can achieve more substantive results in deporting criminal suspects, anti-terrorism, fighting drugs and other fields," the official Xinhua news agency reported.
The United States is holding 15 prisoners from Xinjiang in the Guantanamo Bay detention center on Cuba. They were captured in Afghanistan, which neighbors Xinjiang, and China has asked for them to be repatriated.
Gonzales said the Bush administration was still considering their fate, and he had discussed Beijing's demand with the Chinese Justice Ministry.
"We obviously want to make sure that whatever the outcome in this particular matter, they go somewhere they know they're going to be treated humanely."
"Our commitment to human rights remains as strong as ever," he said.
Gonzales said that he had also pressed his Chinese counterparts to provide stronger protection of patents, copyrights and other forms of intellectual property protection.
"Law enforcement agencies from China and the United States must work together to develop and prosecute international piracy cases," Gonzales told U.S. businesspeople, according to a prepared text of his speech.
Pirated goods are prevalent in China, where the latest Hollywood blockbusters are sold on the streets for less than $1 alongside knock-off designer clothing, handbags and other goods.
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