A Chinese security official was elected president of Interpol on Thursday for the first time, a potentially controversial choice as Beijing pursues a campaign to hunt down fugitives abroad. 


Vice Minister of Public Security Meng Hongwei was chosen as the new head of the global police organisation at its annual general assembly on the Indonesian island of Bali, France-headquartered Interpol announced. 


He is the first Chinese official to hold the post, China’s official Xinhua news agency said, and takes over from Frenchwoman Mireille Ballestrazzi. 


The move could provide a boost to China’s efforts to track down alleged economic criminals, living abroad. 


Interpol is an intergovernmental organisation that acts as a network connecting the law enforcement agencies of its 190 member countries. It does not have agents of its own with powers of arrest.

Source: NNA