China highlights streets where its fugitives live
Print Edition
THE personal details of 22 corruption suspects who fled overseas, including their possible current whereabouts, have been released by Chinese authorities.
The information includes each suspect’s name, gender, ID card number, former title, suspected crime, date of arrival in current country and travel document number, according to a statement from an office in charge of fugitive repatriation and asset recovery.
The whereabouts are as specific as naming the streets where the fugitives are believed to live.
Of the 22, 10 are thought to be in the United States, five in Canada, four in New Zealand, and one each in Australia, Saint Kitts and Nevis and the United Kingdom.
Their ages range from 33 to 75. The first to flee left in 1998, according to a report on the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection website.
This is the first time China’s anti-graft authorities have issued a notice giving such specific information about overseas fugitives, said Gao Bo, an official with the commission.
“All 22 suspects are on the ‘100 most-wanted’ Interpol red notice,” he said.
In the case of Wang Liming, former head of the Hainan branch of the Bank of China, who was suspected of malpractice, the possible location of his current residence is given as “Voltaire Drive, Riverside, Los Angles, California, USA.”
He is alleged to have taken advantage of his position to collude with others and illegally issue letters of credit backed by no real trading or guarantees, resulting in a huge loss of state assets.
In a separate case, Cheng Muyang, former chairman of Hong Kong Jiadali Investment Co Ltd and former manager of the Beijing subsidiary of Beifang International Advertisement Company, was suspected of embezzlement and concealment of illegal gains. He is believed to be living in “Oak Ridge Community, Vancouver, Canada,” according to the notice.
Compared to other fugitives on the Interpol red notice, capturing these 22 is more difficult, said Liu Jianchao, deputy director of the National Bureau of Corruption Prevention. “Some cases are at a crucial stage for breaking them, and we need to put more pressure on the suspects.”
As of March 31, 365 people suspected of crimes such as embezzlement and bribery were known to be overseas while another 581 were unaccounted for, the office said.
Some of the fugitives had changed their identities since the red notice was released, some are having difficulty deciding whether to give themselves up, while others continue to evade authorities, the office said.
The personal information is based on tip-offs from the public and cooperation with other authorities, it said. Further information on more fugitives will be released at an appropriate time, it added.
“We hope overseas Chinese, foreign citizens of Chinese origin and international friends will help identify these fugitives ... and give them no place to hide,” the office’s statement said.
It said the public can report relevant information online at http://www.12388.gov.cn/ztzz/.
Call for cooperation
Countries involved should abide by international conventions and cooperate in law enforcement, the office said, and should support China’s anti-corruption drive by not sheltering fugitives or allowing them to transfer illegal assets.
“China respects the laws of other countries and is ready to cooperate with them. We urge specific countries not to pursue their own economic interests by issuing passports and visas through investment immigration schemes when applicants are suspected of corruption,” it said.
“Passports and visas that have already been issued should be revoked as soon as possible.”
By releasing specific information, authorities expect increased support from the media, police and local residents who may be unaware of the suspects’ backgrounds, said Wang Wenhua, deputy dean of the law school at Beijing Foreign Studies University.
As of March 31, China had captured 2,873 fugitives, including 476 former officials and around 40 on the Interpol list, from more than 90 countries and regions and recovered 8.99 billion yuan (US$1.3 billion).
The commission said 19 suspects fled China last year, compared with 31 in 2015 and 101 in 2014.
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