Eleven suspects wanted for embezzlement were extradited from
overseas last year and 77.2 million yuan (about US$9.9 million) was
retrieved, according to the Supreme People's Procuratorate.
The Procuratorate's latest statistics also show another 1,670
suspects wanted for economic crimes were arrested within the
country last year.
The achievement was made through the Procuratorate's cooperation
with relevant government organizations and overseas judicial and
procuratorial departments, says the Procuratorate.
So far, the Supreme People's Procuratorate has signed 83
cooperation deals and memorandums with 75 overseas judicial and
procuratorial departments, Legal Daily quoted the
Procuratorate as saying.
The suspects, most of whom are from the financial sector or
state owned enterprises (SOEs), used overseas business connections
to flee the country, the Supreme People's Procuratorate says. The
procuratorate says, North America, Australia, and Southeast Asia
are preferred destinations for corrupted officials.
A recent survey of 42 corrupt officials conducted by an
anti-graft research group showed half of the corrupt officials who
flee China to escape prosecution are heads of SOEs.
Hu Xingdou, professor of Beijing Institute of Technology, said
improved supervision within enterprises and government departments
could prevent corruption.
"Personnel in charge of discipline and supervision are usually
lower in rank so they are unable to monitor the top official's
power," Hu said.
By May 2006, there were 800 suspects at large overseas who are
wanted for economic crimes. They are accused of embezzling nearly
70 billion yuan (US$875 million), according to the Ministry of
Public Security.
(Xinhua News Agency March 14, 2007)