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Taipei, Oct. 15 (CNA) A Criminal Investigation Bureau official expressed the hope Monday that his agency will be able to participate in the next general meeting of Interpol that will be held in the United Arab Emirates in November.

Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) Commissioner Tsai Tsan-po (蔡蒼柏) has filed an application to Interpol for the CIB to participate in the annual meeting as an observer, the bureau said in a statement.

Taiwan was an Interpol member as the Republic of China until 1984, when it was replaced by the People's Republic of China.

The government has applied to participate in the annual meeting since 2016, but each time its request has been rejected by Interpol because of opposition from China, which has ramped up its suppression of Taiwan internationally.

Interpol's Rules of Procedure for the General Assembly indicate that police bodies that are not members of the organization can be invited to attend General Assembly sessions as observers.

Yang Kuo-sung (楊國松), CIB International Criminal Affairs Division squadron chief, said as part of the international community, Taiwan should not be deprived of its right to join the international organization, to exchange information and combat transnational crime.

Established in 1923, Interpol is the world's largest international police organization with 192 member countries.

The Interpol 87th General Assembly is scheduled to be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre in the UAE from Nov. 16 to 21.

(By Huang Li-yun and Ko Lin)
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