Prosecutors take aim at corrupt fugitives finding refuge overseas

Prosecutors in China will strengthen intelligence sharing and joint investigation cooperation with the International Association of Prosecutors to hunt down corrupt Chinese fugitives who remain at large abroad, a senior official from the Supreme People's Procuratorate said on Wednesday.

"We are working closely with our counterparts from anti-corruption departments of IAP members to expand law enforcement cooperation and improve the capabilities and effectiveness of agencies to catch the fugitives and confiscate their illicit assets," Procurator-General Cao Jianming told China Daily in an exclusive interview.

Figures provided by the Supreme People's Procuratorate show that since October 2014, when prosecuting departments in China launched the special action to capture such fugitives and recover their illegal funds, 174 corrupt officials have returned to face trial, with 1.9 billion yuan ($291 million) in illegal funds confiscated with the judicial assistance of foreign agencies.