The International Organization for Migration (IOM) held an
opening ceremony in Beijing Monday to mark the establishment of its
liaison office in China.
The Chinese government and the IOM signed an agreement on the
establishment of liaison office in September 2006. Gerard R.
Pascua, special envoy of the IOM director-general, is the first
head of liaison office.
Cui Tiankai, assistant foreign minister, addressed the opening
ceremony that the IOM is an important governmental organization in
handling migration affairs. It plays a major role in policy
coordination, technological cooperation, capability building and
information sharing.
China hopes to carry out pragmatic, efficient and reciprocal
cooperation with IOM in the future, he said.
IOM Director-General Brunson Mckinley said the liaison office
will help promote the bilateral relationship of cooperation between
the two sides, and the IOM will continue to work closely with the
Chinese government on migration issues.
The IOM was established in 1951 with its headquarter in Geneva,
Switzerland. It has 120 member countries and 19 observers. China
became its observer in June 2001.
(Xinhua News Agency March 19, 2007)
