The number of corruption suspects fleeing China in the last four years has fallen dramatically, as the government steps up controls on areas such as issuing passports to officials, the ruling Communist Party's anti-graft watchdog said on Tuesday.
China has pursued an overseas search dubbed Operation Fox Hunt for corrupt officials and business executives who have fled abroad with their assets, as part of the country's efforts in fugitive repatriation and asset recovery.
Source: CCDI, Ministry of Supervision website
In a lengthy statement offering rare details of the behind-the-scenes actions being taken, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said prevention was just as important as the efforts put in to getting back those already abroad.
In 2014, 101 officials fled abroad, in 2015 the number fell to 31, while last year only 19 escaped, it said.
It attributed the fall to strengthened measures, especially against those whose entire families are already overseas, like tighter passport controls and restrictions on moving money offshore.
Yang Xiuzhu, one of China's most-wanted fugitives, returns to the country from the US./ CCDI, Ministry of Supervision website
In 2015, authorities published a list of 100 of the most wanted corruption suspects who had been targeted with Interpol red notices, many of whom were living in the United States, Canada and Australia.
The commission said that so far 40 have returned to China, most of whom had been persuaded to give themselves up.
By December 2016, China had already established ties with over 90 countries’ and regions’ anti-corruption institutions, pushing forward negotiations on signing extradition treaties and criminal judicial assistance treaties.
