Nabbing fugitives pays off in anti-graft fight

Sweeping victory is the key expression that was used to describe what China has achieved in its anti-graft campaign in the past years at the current third plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection in Beijing. This includes all-out efforts to hunt those corrupt elements seeking shelter in a foreign land, in which other countries have contributed to the success.

On Aug 23, 2018, the National Supervision Commission, the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, and the ministries of foreign affairs and public security, jointly released a notice urging those corrupt fugitives overseas to hand themselves in. In the five months until the end of 2018, 441 such fugitives from 46 countries and regions had been brought back, and among them, 165 surrendered themselves. Some of them were on the Interpol Red Notice list.

If corrupt elements were able to lead a peaceful life in a foreign land, it would obviously set an example encouraging others to seek illgotten gains by abusing their power. Whether the actions China takes to hunt them down succeed is therefore of great importance to the country’s campaign against corruption.

In the past years, China has launched its Sky Net Action and Operation Fox Hunt to hunt down corrupt elements who have fled to foreign countries with their illegal assets. From 2014 to the end of 2018, China has already brought back more than 5,000 corrupt elements from 120 countries and regions, and among them 56 are on the Interpol Red Notice list.

These efforts aim to finally make officials not dare to, unable to and have no desire to commit any illegal act. It goes without saying that the aim could never be fulfilled unless their last retreat — seeking a shelter in a foreign country — is blocked. So there is no reason why any country should turn down China’s request to hand over an economic criminal suspect hiding there.

Now a five-part TV documentary is being aired on China Central Television, which tells how some well-known corrupt fugitives on the Interpol Red Notice list were brought back home to face trial for the crimes they’ve committed.

Five years ago at the third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, said that wherever the corrupt fugitives have fled, they will be brought back to face trial, and any foreign country should never become a safe haven for China’s corrupt elements.

The documentary shows how these efforts are paying off.