China and Australia fight ice together

A joint Chinese and Australian task force has been a remarkable success in disrupting organised crime, a parliamentary committee has been told.

Taskforce Blaze has taken seven tons of drugs off the streets in both China and Australia since its creation in November 2015.

"If we haven't got these relationships and intelligence between us, we're dead in the water," Australian Federal Police commander Bruce Hill told a joint houses committee in Canberra on Friday.

Taskforce Blaze is the first Australia has established with another country.

It was also the first time the Chinese officials have given evidence in an Australian court and the first time drug exchanges have been done with China.

"China for us is a new arena. Their way of operating, their political system - everything is completely different," Commander Hill said.

"But I must say they are making a very strong, sincere effort, particularly with us, to bridge that gap."

Based in Guangzhou and with six liaison officers throughout China, the task force began almost as a pilot project.

"It's gone well past any expectations that we had in the introduction," Commander Hill said.

China was Australia's largest source of illegal methamphetamines but was taking a leadership role in tackling the issue.

"They see the advantages of this union and of us working together," he said.

He also acknowledged that it was Australian demand driving the illegal drug trade.

"We have a situation in our country where we are paying a lot for drugs. We are creating the problem."

The AFP has a presence in 28 countries with 70 liaison officers working to disrupt the drug trade.

"One of our key objectives for the AFP is to take the fight offshore," Commander Hill said.

Similar programs - Taskforce Storm in Thailand and Taskforce Dragon in Cambodia - have since been established.

Taskforce Blaze will continue until January 2018 when it will be reviewed.