Police forces of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China teamed up in a bid to tackle terrorism and transnational crime during a security forum held in Nanning city, China, on September 12–13.

Addressing the forum, Li Wei, Chinese Vice-Minister of Public Security, said the established coordination was crucial for regional security.

Meanwhile, Zhu Lin, Associate Professor at the Institute of China's Armed Police Forces, informed the participants that terrorists have now expanded their attacks from targeting police forces and governments to civilians, including international tourists.

Today’s information and communications technology enabled criminals to anonymously access personal information and steal people’s identities, he added.

Zhu Lin pushed for a long-term cooperation mechanism that facilitates the mutual exchange of information, thus enabling the coalition’s police forces to prevent terrorism and other serious crimes.

Some 120 representatives from ASEAN’s ten member states and China, the host nation, participated in the event.

The Global Terrorism Database shows that terrorist attacks on China and ASEAN members increased fourfold in the last ten years.-VNA