Anti-corruption body GlobE Network passes Beijing consensus

The Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (the GlobE Network) concluded its plenary meeting in Beijing on Friday, with a consensus on anti-corruption law enforcement cooperation approved at the meeting.

The Beijing Consensus on Law Enforcement Cooperation and Denial of Safe Haven for Corruption was passed during a high-level forum of the four-day meeting.

The consensus reiterates the GlobE Network's zero-tolerance against corruption and pledges respect for sovereign equality and differences in laws. It aims to promote anti-corruption law enforcement cooperation to prevent and combat corruption with concerted efforts. "The great differences in political systems and legal systems among countries have posed great difficulties and challenges for carrying out anti-corruption law enforcement cooperation. The Beijing Consensus proposes to establish a secure and encrypted information sharing platform which can promote information sharing while ensuring national security and personal privacy, thus playing a very important role in cracking down on transnational organized crimes," said Guo Yong, dean of the Institute of Discipline Inspection and Supervision of Tsinghua University.

China has organized the "Sky Net" operation for ten consecutive years hunting down corruption suspects who have fled abroad, using extradition, repatriation, and other methods to repatriate more than 13,000 fugitives from over 120 countries and regions, and recovered 63.1 billion yuan (about 9 billion U.S. dollars) in illicit funds.

Currently, China has concluded more than 170 extradition treaties, judicial assistance treaties, and asset return and sharing agreements with more than 80 countries, and signed financial intelligence exchange and cooperation agreements with more than 60 countries and regions.

The National Commission of Supervision of China has also established working contacts with anti-corruption agencies of more than 100 countries, and has promoted bilateral law enforcement agency cooperation mechanisms through high-level leadership exchanges.

Established in 2021, the GlobE Network is the world's most represented anti-corruption law enforcement cooperation platform.

Anti-corruption body GlobE Network passes Beijing consensus

Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib stated on Thursday that Israeli attacks are threatening Lebanon's existence and called for urgent international intervention to prevent the situation from escalating.

Bou Habib called for a ceasefire during the General Debate of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

"Lebanon is currently enduring a crisis which is threatening its very existence. The future of our people and our prosperity are imperiled. This is a situation that requires international intervention on an urgent basis before the situation spirals out of control, with a domino effect, making this crisis impossible to contain," he said.

The foreign minister also condemned a series of recent attacks by Israel on Hezbollah members in Lebanon, including the incidents involving explosions of communication devices such as pagers and walkie-talkies, resulting in numerous casualties, including children and women.

Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border have escalated since October 8, 2023, when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in solidarity with Hamas' attack the previous day. Israel retaliated with heavy artillery fire toward southern Lebanon.

The Israel-Hezbollah tensions have grown even worse after the deadly back-to-back attacks targeting Hezbollah members in Lebanon -- with pagers simultaneously exploding across the country on September 17, 2024, then walkie-talkies detonating in a similar fashion the next day. Hezbollah has blamed Israel for the attacks, while Israel has made no response to the charge.

At least 37 people, including children, have been killed in the attacks. Thousands more were injured -- many maimed and in critical condition after communications devices exploded in their pockets or in their face.

Lebanese FM condemns Israeli attacks, calls for int'l intervention