BEIJING, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Police liaison officers stationed in Chinese embassies and consulates have helped arrest and return more than 1,000 criminal suspects back to China by 2016 year-end as part of a program to improve law enforcement cooperation with other countries, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said Sunday.

According to the MPS, so far China has sent a total of 64 police liaison officers to 31 foreign countries.

They have helped handle 4,460 cross-border cases, and helped Chinese police crack a series of telecom fraud cases in Thailand and the Philippines.

The liaison officers also played a key role in safeguarding life and property security of overseas Chinese, the MPS said.