Ians

Beijing: India and China on Saturday agreed to boost cooperation in combating terrorism and decided to set up a high-level meeting mechanism led by India's home minister and China's minister of public security.

A joint statement issued here by India's home ministry and China's ministry of public security said both the sides would strengthen cooperation in drug-related crimes, cyber crimes, economic crimes, illegal immigration, illegal trafficking in firearms and ammunition.

The statement was issued during Home Minister Rajnath Singh's ongoing China visit. He is on an official visit to China from November 18-23.

Singh held talks with State Councillor and Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun.

"Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in combating international terrorism through exchange of information on terrorist activities, terrorist groups and their linkages; exchanging experiences on anti-hijacking, hostage situations and other terrorism related crimes; and coordinating positions on anti-terrorism endeavours," the statement said.

It said both the sides also agreed to exchanges by groups of counter-terrorism experts to discuss counter-terrorism cooperation.

The two sides strongly condemned the recent terrorist attack in Paris that killed 130 people.

Xinhua added that the two sides would enhance high-level exchanges and put into place a high-level security and counter-terrorism meeting mechanism.

They will also exchange experiences in dealing with hijacking and hostage taking incidents as well as other terrorist activities, and promised to coordinate positions in regional and multilateral counter-terrorist operations, Xinhua said.

High level security officials will meet in Beijing and New Delhi alternatively every two years, it said.

A ministerial-level delegation from China's ministry of public security will visit India in the first half of 2016, it said.

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