Chinese police have traced more than 300 wanted officials who
have allegedly fled abroad with illegal earnings since 1998, Wu
Heping, spokesman of the Ministry of Public Security, said on
Tuesday.
Wu said police had strengthened their intelligence on the
activities of fugitive suspects and cooperated with international
organizations to trace the individuals and recover the stolen
money.
He would not reveal how many of the 300 officials had been
arrested, saying only that 37 were arrested and returned to China
in 2006.
He said Hu Xing, former vice general director of the Transport
Department of Yunnan, who disappeared in January, was wanted in
connection with a serious economic crime, but he gave no further
details on the crime or the investigation.
A report by the Ministry of Commerce research institute in 2004
said about 4,000 Chinese officials suspected of crimes involving
US$50 billion had fled overseas since China launched economic
reforms in 1978.
The government had stepped up international cooperation to trace
wanted officials, concluding 72 judicial cooperation agreements
with 48 countries and treaties on extradition with 24 countries, Wu
said.
(Xinhua News Agency March 28, 2007)