Aquino says Philippines willing to help China seize illicit assets of fugitives
Aquino says Manila open to cooperating with Beijing in tracking down illicit gains of those citizens who fled to the country if asked to do so
President Benigno Aquino said yesterday he would be willing to help Beijing seize illicit assets of Chinese who have fled to the Philippines if any cases were discovered and if Beijing requested cooperation.
The overture to Beijing comes as the two countries remain embroiled in a territorial dispute in the South China Sea.
"Not to my knowledge have there been discussions with our Chinese friends with regards to this particular operation," Aquino said at his annual press conference with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines. "But we, in general, would be open to cooperating with any other country with regards to stamping out corruption, number one, and also in compliance with our commitments with regards to anti-money-laundering activities."
He said his government would help China in its efforts to seize such assets "based on our specific rules and our laws".
But "it has to be in conformity with our laws and procedures", he said.
China announced in July an operation called Fox Hunt that is going after those corrupt officials who have fled overseas with their ill-gotten gains.
The campaign is part of President Xi Jinping's broader crackdown on graft.