Joint Declaration of The 12th ASEAN-China Prosecutors-General Conference　

The 12th ASEAN-China Prosecutors-General Conference ("the Conference") was held in Siem Reap, the Kingdom of Cambodia from 6 to 7 November 2019. The Conference was attended by:

H.E. Zhang Jun, Prosecutor General of the Supreme People's Procuratorate of the People's Republic of China,

H.E. Hajah Zuraini binti Haji Sharbawi, Solicitor General of Brunei Darussalam,

H.E. Chea Leang, Prosecutor General of the Kingdom of Cambodia,

H.E. Arminsyah, Vice Attorney General of the Republic of Indonesia,

H.E. Bounnhang Chanhdalasane, Deputy Supreme People's Prosecutor of the Lao People's Democratic Republic,

H.E. Tan Sri Tommy Thomas, Attorney General of Malaysia,

H.E. U TunTun Oo, Attorney General of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar,

H.E. Mariza Delos Santos-Jaugan, Senior Deputy State Prosecutor of the Republic of the Philippines,

H.E. Lucien Wong, Attorney General of the Republic of Singapore,

H.E. Paiboon Thawornwijit, Deputy Attorney General of the Kingdom of Thailand,

H.E. Le Minh Tri, Prosecutor General of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

(hereafter collectively referred to as "the Prosecutors-General")

The Conference was successfully held in a warm and friendly atmosphere. The participating delegations fully recognized the important role played by the ASEAN-China Prosecutors General Conference in combating all types of transnational crimes including human trafficking, protecting social welfare, and upholding national stability. Focusing on the theme of "the Role of Prosecutors in Regionally Combating Human Trafficking", delegates shared many effective practices and successful experiences from their own jurisdictions in this regard, provided in-depth analysis into the difficulties and obstacles in domestic enforcement and prosecution, and proposed many constructive and operable recommendations and suggestions.

The Conference acknowledged that the ASEAN Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters ("ASEAN MLAT") has helped in strengthening cooperation among ASEAN Members. In order to complement the ASEAN MLAT, we declare our commitment to promote more effective cooperation in the fight against transnational crimes.

The Prosecutors-General of ASEAN Member States and China reaffirmed their strong commitment to working closely together to address human trafficking and other transnational organised crimes at both national and regional levels.

To this end, the prosecutors-General declare that:

1. The Prosecutors-General remain committed to enhance cooperation to bring the human traffickers to justice on the basis of the principle of equality of all States, mutual trust and respect for national sovereignty, jurisdiction, and the treaties ratified by their respective countries as well as domestic laws.

2. The Prosecutors-General acknowledged the importance of formal international cooperation mechanisms, i.e. extradition and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. In enhancing international cooperation, the Prosecutors-General also encouraged ASEAN Member States and China to utilise informal mechanisms to foster closer relations including by establishing direct communication between central authorities and/or competent authorities. This is in line with the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crimes, Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crimes and other relevant multilateral and bilateral treaties to which their respective countries are parties to.

3. The Prosecutors-General decided that in order to foster closer relations in international cooperation in the fight against human trafficking, the officials of the central authorities and/or competent authorities of ASEAN Member States and China may, as appropriate and practicable, and subject to the domestic laws of their countries and considerations such as information security, make use of electronic means of communication such as e-mails, Telegram, WhatsApp, WeChat, Line, or Viber, etc., to allow for more expeditious communications to facilitate cooperation.

4. The Prosecutors-General acknowledged that capacity building of frontline prosecutors is crucial in the fight against human trafficking. ASEAN Member States and China may organise joint seminars, meetings and trainings for their frontline prosecutors or the officials of the central authorities or competent authorities to exchange experiences, including sharing of case studies, and practices in handling the transnational human trafficking cases in the region, so as to foster effective cooperation.

This declaration was signed in Siem Reap, the Kingdom of Cambodia, on 7 November 2019 in English.