At the invitation of António Vitorino, director general of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Rudolf Urbanovič, state secretary of the Ministry of Interior of Slovakia, and Angel Gurría, secretary general of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Xu Ganlu, vice minister of Public Security and administrator of the National Immigration Administration (NIA) led a six-member delegation to visit Geneva-based IOM and UNHCR Headquarters, and the Slovak Republic from January 9 to 18, and attended the OECD Ministerial Meeting on Migration and Integration and the High-Level Policy Forum in Paris, France.

While in Geneva, Switzerland, Xu Ganlu held talks with António Vitorino and Filippo Grandi. Xu Ganlu reviewed and spoke positively of the cooperation of the Ministry of Public Security and NIA with IOM and UNHCR, saying that China will continue to uphold world multipolarity and multilateralism, support a greater role of the two international organizations in the governance of international migrants and refugees, and step up coordination and collaboration on relevant issues and work for outcomes of practical cooperation. Vitorino and Grandi thanked China for its strong support for the work of the organizations over the years, expressing that they would attach importance to strengthening cooperation with NIA and work with China to promote the legal, free and orderly flow of international migrants.

While in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, Xu held talks with Rudolf Urbanovič, the state secretary of the Ministry of Interior of Slovakia, and jointly signed a letter of intent to strengthen cooperation between the Ministry of Public Security of China and the Ministry of Interior of Slovakia. Xu Ganlu said that China and Slovakia enjoy a profound traditional friendship, and have great cooperation potential with increasingly close collaboration under the Belt and Road Initiative and the "17+1" framework. The Ministry of Public Security of China is willing to further expand cooperation with the Slovak Ministry of Interior, make joint efforts with Slovakia to strengthen the exchange of visits between delegations and groups at all levels, build a legal basis for cooperation, and upgrade the level of practical cooperation in counter-terrorism, security along countries under the Belt and Road Initiative, immigration administration, and combating telecom and Internet fraud.

Rudolf Urbanovič welcomed Xu Ganlu's delegation to Slovakia and agreed with Xu's suggestions on cooperation. He said Slovakia is willing to work with China to deepen bilateral law enforcement and security cooperation and add new content to bilateral friendly relations. During his stay in Slovakia, Xu Ganlu and his delegation also held working talks with Milan Lucansky, director general of the Slovak Police Force, and visited the Slovak Police Academy and the Bratislava State Police.

During his stay in Paris, Xu Ganlu delivered a plenary speech at the ministerial meeting, pointing out that, to promote immigration governance and integration of migrants, efforts shall be made from the realities of the countries, by mobilizing various positive factors to promote coordinated and comprehensive development, and upholding multilateralism and deepening international cooperation. At the High-Level Policy Forum, Xu Ganlu, on behalf of emerging economies, had a dialogue with EU representatives on the topic of international talent competition, making clear the positive position of the Chinese government on the introduction, use and training of international talents and the guarantee of free and reasonable flow of talents. The above speech was highly appraised by all participants.

During the conference, Xu Galu also met with Angel Gurría, secretary general of OECD, Aaron Motsoaledi, Minister of Home Affairs of South Africa, and James McCament, deputy secretary of U.S. Homeland Security, and exchanged views on bilateral cooperation and other issues. Xu also held working exchanges with heads of delegations from Brazil, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Portugal, Latvia and other countries. This is the first time for OECD to host a ministerial-level conference on immigration. More than 70 ministerial-level officials from 44 countries and 8 international organizations attended the conference.

During his visit to the three countries, Xu Ganlu also met with Ambassador Chen Xu, head of the Chinese Mission to the UN Office at Geneva, Wang Ji, Charge d 'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Slovakia, and Lu Shaye, Chinese Ambassador to France, exchanging views on strengthening cooperation with relevant countries and international organizations. During his stay in Slovakia and France, Xu Ganlu hosted a symposium with representatives of local Chinese, Chinese-funded enterprises and overseas students, introduced the immigration administration, policies and measures of China, and listened to their comments and suggestions. And he also answered the questions of the participants related to working and living abroad, protection of rights and interests, customs clearance, travel and residence, etc.

This is the first visit made by NIA's leadership to the headquarters of IOM and UNHCR, and a debut on an international multilateral occasion. This is also the first time for the Ministry of Public Security to send a ministerial delegation to Slovakia. Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security and departments of NIA participated in the visit.

Notice: The English version is only for reference. To learn more, please refer to the authoritative Chinese version.