Taiwan on Wednesday sent a delegation to the Chinese mainland to discuss a telephone fraud case involving 45 Taiwanese which Kenya deported to the mainland.
The mainland's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said the visit is part of a joint crime crackdown and mutual judicial assistance signed between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.
The delegation was headed by Chen Wen-chi, an official from Taiwan's "ministry of justice." Two officials from Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council and one from the Straits Exchange Foundation were also part of the 10-member delegation.
Before boarding the plane, Chen told media that she hopes to establish a reasonable mechanism with the mainland's MPS to handle future cases, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
Kenyan police last week deported 77 Chinese telecoms fraud suspects, including 45 from Taiwan, to the Chinese mainland.
The deportations have sparked a debate in Taiwan over the mainland's jurisdiction in the case. Mainland authorities said Taiwan has been too lenient in its handling of telecoms fraud.
In a separate case, Taiwan police on Saturday released 20 telecoms fraud suspects who were deported from Malaysia, citing a lack of evidence.
An Fengshan, State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman, urged Taiwan on Saturday to give fraud suspects "the punishment they deserve," stressing that their release will only spread fraud and harm cross-Straits law enforcement cooperation.
