China and the United States have agreed to speed up the repatriation process for illegal Chinese immigrants, and to enhance cooperation in eliminating smuggling organizations.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said yesterday Chinese leaders had agreed with the visiting US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff that pragmatic measures should be taken to tackle the issue of illegal immigration to the United States. He did not specify what those measures were.

Liu reiterated that "China will accept the return of illegal immigrants once it has been confirmed they are Chinese citizens and left from the Chinese mainland."

Chertoff told reporters yesterday at the US Embassy in Beijing that tackling illegal immigration and cracking down on smuggling organizations are in the best interests of both countries, and described his trip to China as "very productive."

He said repatriation would act as a deterrent to those illegal migrants and send them a message that "even if they get across the border they would be returned rather than be released on bail."

He added they would work closely with the Chinese side in the identity verification process.

Chertoff said the two countries are also close to an agreement on aviation security, but gave no details.

At previous stops in Singapore and Japan, Chertoff focused on maritime and aviation security, with Washington worried that nuclear bombs or radioactive material could be smuggled across US borders in cargo containers.

He told reporters in Tokyo last week that he was seeking to persuade ports, including those in Japan and China, to install radiation detectors to screen cargo exported to the United States.

As the first US homeland security secretary to visit China, Chertoff met a number of senior Chinese leaders in the past two days, including Public Security Minister Zhou Yongkang, Civil Aviation Minister Yang Yuanyuan, Justice Minister Wu Aiying and Foreign Vice-Minister Yang Jiechi.

He also held talks yesterday with Luo Gan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee.

Luo said China and the United States had effectively co-operated in trade, fighting against terrorism, law enforcement, nuclear non-proliferation, controlling bird flu, the nuclear issues on the Korean Peninsula and in Iran, and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We hope to make substantial achievements in extradition, fighting terrorism, Olympic Games security and illegal emigration," he said.

He also mentioned that Chinese President Hu Jintao's impending visit to the United States was the top priority this year with respect to Sino-US relations.

Yang Jiechi, a former Chinese ambassador to the US, said that frequent ministry-level visits between the two countries, including the recent visit of US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and the current visit of Chinese Vice-Premier Wu Yi, would enhance mutual understanding and are favorable to Hu's visit.

Chertoff left Beijing to return to Washington yesterday afternoon.

(China Daily April 5, 2006)