On April 23 and 26, 2021, China, Russia and Vietnam jointly hosted a webinar of the 1st ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) themed with "Combating Criminal Use of Information and Communication Technologies". Over 100 persons, including representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat and the ARF as well as academic and industrial experts, attended the webinar. Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jia Guide, Director of the Department of International Information Security of the Russian Foreign Ministry Andrei Krutskikh, and Acting Director-General of the Department of International Law and Treaties of Vietnam Le Duc Hanh attended and addressed the opening ceremony.

Jia Guide expressed, cybercrime is a common threat faced by all countries, so it should be addressed through the cooperation of all countries. This discussion of cracking down on cybercrimes under the framework of the ARF is vital to strengthen regional and global cooperation. China will work with all member states of the ARF to conclude the international combating cybercrime treaty that is pragmatic, effective, widely participated and accepted under the UN framework as soon as possible. Jia Guide expounded China's principled position on the upcoming organizational meeting of the special committee on treaty negotiation, calling on all countries to strengthen cooperation, and make proper arrangement for treaty negotiation.

Krutskikh emphasized, cooperation is an inevitable path of combating cybercrimes. He called on all parties to actively support the work of the special committee, and accelerate the completion of the treaty negotiation as soon as possible, providing stronger support for law enforcement authorities and practical workers in addressing cybercrimes. Le Duc Hanh said, cyber technology brings numerous opportunities, but makes all countries more fragile to address cybercrimes. All parties shall actively cooperate to advance treaty negotiation, improve capacity building and enhance mutual trust, trying to narrow technology divide.

Government representatives as well as industry and academic experts from China, Russia, and Vietnam, and experts from United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, International Criminal Police Organization, Singapore and Indonesia conducted exchanges on the four themes of "Conviction and Crime Prevention", "International Rule of Laws against Cybercrime", "International Cooperation against Cybercrime", and "Practices of Domestic and Cross-border Surveys", and deepened their understanding of strengthening international cooperation on combating cybercrimes.