The meeting commenced with an opening address by Commissioner Lee Ming-kwai. The Director of Crime and Security Chau Foo-cheong led the Force's 12-member delegation to the meeting, while Mr Zheng Dong, Deputy Director of Guangdong Provincial PSD, headed a 22-member delegation from Guangdong and Mr J. P. Branco led a delegation of 15 senior police officers from Macao.

Mr Fu Zhenghua, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Public Security CID Office, and Liaison Officer of Liaison Office for Police Cooperation of Ministry of Public Security in Hong Kong, also attended the meeting as guest.

The three parties have already laid a strong foundation for cooperation as a result of previous meetings. Through intelligence exchange, assistance in investigations and joint operations, they have been very successful in checking cross-boundary crime. With a new approach, the Eighth Tripartite Meeting focused on crimes in four areas, namely organised crime, narcotics, commercial crime and technology crime.

At the meeting, Assistant Commissioner (Crime), Mr Lo Yik-kee, discussed the problems of deception committed by foreigners, and the three parties agreed to set up a database concerning those foreigners. To deal with theft involving ATM, Commercial Crime Bureau would initiate more intelligence exchange with its counterparts in Guangdong and Macao, especially information on new modus operandi.

As for Hong Kong residents kidnapped and blackmailed on the Mainland, the three parties' responsible units would set up a liaison group and a regular intelligence exchange mechanism so as to tackle those crimes swiftly.

Another significant issue discussed at the meeting was joint operations, with representatives resolving to identify the targets of joint operations through discussion, and placing emphasis on cross-boundary crime of mutual concern, such as prostitution and illegal gambling.

The Ninth Tripartite Meeting, which is scheduled for September 2004, will be hosted by Macao.

Significant issues are discussed at the meeting