China and Russia agree to cooperate to fight corruption
Anti-corruption clause sets precedent for China to seek the same from other nations
An anti-corruption cooperation clause has been included in the Sino-Russia joint declaration signed last Friday, in a first for China since President Xi Jinping took power in 2012.
Analysts said that while the declaration was not legally binding, it showed China and Russia had a political consensus.
As part of Xi's corruption crackdown, China has launched "Operation Fox Hunt" and "Sky Net" to hunt down Chinese fugitives overseas. But a lack of repatriation treaties has made it hard for them to be hauled back to the mainland to face their crimes.
China has repatriation treaties with 41 countries, mostly in Asia. But popular destinations for fugitives, such as the United States, Canada and Australia, have not signed such treaties owing to their mistrust of the mainland's legal environment.
Under these circumstances, experts say, China will seek to sign more declarations of cooperation to highlight its political will even if the clauses are not legally binding.
"There are many ways to hunt down fugitives. The best is to sign repatriation treaties. Others include agreements, joint declarations, placing local charges, or even convincing them to come back," said Renmin University international studies professor Jin Canrong . "The declaration can put pressure on fugitives and form a political atmosphere against them."