China's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection has published headshots and background information about the 100 wanted fugitives listed as part of Operation Sky Net on its website. Photo: SCMP Pictures
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Beijing's most wanted: US repatriates one of the leading 'Sky Net' fugitives days before Xi Jinping's visit
Yang Jinjun, who is suspected of bribery and corruption and fled to the US in 2001, was on list of mainland anti-graft operation's 100 'wanted' fugitives
Yang Jinjun arrives back in China on Friday. Photo: Xinhua
The US government has repatriated one of Beijing’s most wanted fugitives to China ahead of a state visit by President Xi Jinping , a sign of improving cooperation between the two countries that raises hopes more such repatriations may follow.
Yang Jinjun, 57, who is suspected of bribery and corruption and fled to the United States in 2001, was listed as a wanted person by the Chinese government this year. He was charged on his return to China yesterday.
Yang, a native of Wenzhou , was general manager and legal representative of Minghe Group before fleeing the country in 2001.
He is the first of 100 targets whose names were made public by the government in April to be forcibly repatriated to China by the US government, according to a statement released by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection on Friday.
Jia Xiudong, a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies, said Yang’s repatriation was a positive signal and a new highlight for China-US relations, especially days ahead of Xi’s first state visit to the US next week.
China has called for the US to help repatriate corrupt Chinese officials or businessmen hiding in the US.
“The repatriation must have gone through procedures for a while and by making such a move the US is creating a friendly atmosphere for Xi’s visit,” Jia said.
There is no extradition treaty between China and the US and very few cases of fugitives being returned to China because of US concerns over fugitive’s treatment on their return, making it a top destination for mainland corrupt officials.
“The return of Yang Jinjun to China marks important progress in this area for both countries and creates a good basis for further cooperation,” foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said.
“The repatriation of Yang is the result of improved anti-corruption cooperation between the two countries after the Apec summit in Beijing in November,” said Zhuang Deshui , deputy director of an anti-corruption studies research centre at Peking University.
“Even without an extradition treaty, the two countries can work under the framework of China-US Joint Liaison Group on Law Enforcement Cooperation.”
Zhuang said Yang’s extradition signalled others would follow, but politically sensitive figures such as Ling Wancheng , brother of former presidential aide Ling Jihua , and Guo Wengui , a businessman linked to disgraced spy chief Ma Jian , would be subject to more political and diplomatic communications.
The repatriation of Chinese fugitives topped the agenda of a visit by Meng Jianzhu , the head of the Communist Party’s Central Politics and Law Commission, to the US earlier this month.
In April, the CCDI released a list of 100 fugitives it wanted returned to China as part of its “Sky Net” anti-graft operation.
A red notice appeals for the location and arrest of each wanted person, and asks those member states that have signed up to the organisation, which facilitates international police cooperation, to extradite them.
Yang is the 13th fugitive sent back to China since the operation was launched in March
The other 12 fugitives were either convinced by Chinese agents to return, or repatriated by other countries.