The Chinese mainland and Taiwan have cooperated in dealing with more than 5,000 criminal cases since a cross-Strait agreement on judicial assistance took effect on June 25, 2009, the island's department on mainland affairs said Monday.

After Pai Hung-shen, former head of Taiwan's Changhua County legislature absconded to the mainland, authorities on both sides of the Strait had collaborated and kept in close contact in accordance with the agreement, said a statement from the department.

Local media in Taiwan had reported that Pai absconded to the mainland in December 2009, after being convicted of corruption charges.

Pai was found by the mainland police March 4 and was repatriated to Taiwan two days later.

The department thanked the mainland for its assistance and saw Pai's case as an illustration of the resolution and good faith of both sides in implementing the agreement.

The authority confirmed the mainland had repatriated 18 wanted people to Taiwan by the end of February.

Fifteen cases, involving fraud, drugs or kidnapping, were jointly dealt with by the two sides with 280 Taiwanese and 88 mainlanders arrested, the department said.