No safe havens for fugitives

Xu Chaofan, former head of the Kaiping sub-branch of Bank of China in Guangdong province, has been returned to China from the United States to face trial on charges of embezzlement and corruption, the top anti-corruption watchdog said on Wednesday.

Xu, who is accused of embezzling $485 million in bank funds, fled to the US in 2001. His repatriation demonstrates the Chinese authorities' resolve to bring anyone involved in corruption to justice wherever he or she flees. Xu is the first fugitive returned since the National Supervisory Commission was established in March.

His case was also the first under the China-US Criminal Judicial Assistance Agreement, and the first time Chinese witnesses were questioned in a US court by remote video.