Chinese man wanted on corruption charges is returned from US

“We must be satisfied that an individual extradited from the United States to another country would receive a fair trial and not be subject to torture or other forms of mistreatment in that country”, a department spokeswoman said in March.

Authorities in China say a most-wanted fugitive suspected of graft and bribery has been brought back from the US after he fled there in 2001.

But, Beijing is seeking to change that and sees the return of Yang as progress in boosting the U.S.-China co-operation on law enforcement.

“The repatriation of Yang Jinjun fully displays the increasing support that China has won over from the global community toward its efforts in chasing down fugitives and illicit gains”, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said on Friday.

State television showed a handcuffed Yang, flanked by policemen, being led off a private jet at Fuzhou airport in southeastern China. An official learn out a press release to him, saying he can be taken to Zhejiang province and detained there.

“The forced repatriation of Yang Jinjun is an important development in the China-US anti-corruption and law enforcement cooperation and has laid an important foundation for cooperation between both sides in this field”, the CCDI said.

Yang’s extradition comes ahead of a weeklong visit to the USA by China’s President Xi Jinping starting next week, including a meeting with President Barack Obama on Friday.

The run-as much as the journey has been overshadowed by arguments over cybersecurity and China’s claims within the South China Sea, so the repatriation marks a uncommon constructive observe.

The failure by China to secure the return of suspects from the United States has been an irritant in ties.

Yang, who fled to the United States in 2001, was the general manager of a company called Minghe Group in the eastern city of Wenzhou, the CCDI said. USA officials typically demand solid evidence from China on suspects who have absconded to the U.S. She is wanted in China for embezzling more than $40 million while she was deputy mayor and held another top post in Wenzhou.

Chinese mainland leader Xi has said that that corruption threatens the party’s grip on power, and has launched a high-profile anti-corruption campaign.