For the first time in history, Interpol elects first Chinese president.
Interpol, the largest international police organization in the world, elected a Chinese security official as president for the first time.
The election was done on Thursday, November 10, Manila Time, during its annual general assembly.
The election of Chinese Vice Minister of Public Security Meng Hongwei was potentially controversial choice for the Interpol as Beijing pursues a campaign to hunt down fugitives outside China.
Hongwei takes over the position from Frenchwoman Mireille Ballestrazzi.
On Thursday, the Interpol which is based in France, announced Hongwei’s new position after the global police organisation meet at the Indonesian island of Bali.
China’s official Xinhua news agency said that Hongwei is the first Chinese official to hold the said post.
The position of the Chinese official is believed to provide strength to China’s efforts to track whereabouts of alleged economic criminals, including corrupt officials, living abroad.
Beijing has been seeking more international help for the their campaign to catch the fugitives, who have been targeted by China as part of the massive anti-graft campaign of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
After sitting in the position four years ago, Xi launched a massive anti-corruption campaign that has led to the punishment of over a million officials who stole the country’s money.
Although this campaign has raised questions about whether the highest official is a reformer of China or is carrying out a ruthless political purge in Beijing.
But, the election of the Chinese Vice Minister of Public Security has become controversial in some countries that noted Chinese law enforcement agents sometimes abuse the power, because they have been operating covertly on their territories without seeking the approval or consent of local authorities.
According to its website, INTERPOL, as the world’s largest international police organization, has 190 member countries.
It enables police around the world to work together to make the world a safer place.
Each member country maintains a National Central Bureau (NCB), staffed by national law enforcement officers. The bureau forms the link with INTERPOL’s global network, enabling member countries to work together on cross-border investigations.