China is stepping up efforts to capture those suspected of corruption and bribery. The Ministry of Public Security has ordered police departments to cooperate with the Supreme People's Procuratorate to pursue and capture corrupt officials.
Deputy Chief Procurator Zhao Hong, at a security meeting on Thursday, urged suspects who abscond with money obtained by corrupt means to hand themselves in.
Suspects that voluntarily surrender, confess their crime and return illicit money will receive reduced punishments. Suspects that disclose the crimes of others or provide important information on corrupt activities will also be looked upon favourably.
Rewards will be given to citizens that assist authorities in locating criminals.
Officials from Jiangsu and Guangdong provinces' people's procuratorates spoke about their experience in pursuing escaped criminals at the conference.
It is believed more than 4,000 suspects of corruption and bribery are at large, with public money totalling more than 5 billion yuan (US$603 million).
(China Daily 01/20/01)
