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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, June 23, 2002

FM Spokesman on Lai Being Denied Refugee Status

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Saturday a Canadian tribunal denying Lai Changxing refugee status conforms to the fact that Lai is a criminal fugitive.


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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Saturday a Canadian tribunal denying Lai Changxing refugee status conforms to the fact that Lai is a criminal fugitive.

Chinese smuggling suspect Lai Changxing, wanted in China for running a multibillion-dollar smuggling ring, was denied refugee status and taken into custody Friday by Canadian immigration authorities.

A two-person Immigration and Refugee Board panel in its 294- page decision, found that Lai and his wife Tsang Mingna were "not credible and that there were serious reasons for considering Lai had committed the crimes of smuggling and bribery."

The couple were behind a network responsible for smuggling 10 billion dollar worth of goods in collaboration with corrupt officials. The Lais and their company were accused by Chinese judicial authorties of smuggling cigarettes, heating and cooking oil, textiles, chemicals and other raw materials into China via Hong Kong.

Lai, Tsang and their children fled to Canada in August 1999. The couple made a refugee claim in June 2000.

The spokesman noted that Lai is known as the principal suspectin the notorious Yuanhua smuggling case in Xiamen, Fujian Province, and there is solid evidence to prove that he is guilty. Lai is by no means a refugee, but a criminal at large, he said.

"The Canadian tribunal's decision to deny Lai refugee status conforms to this basic fact," the spokesman said.


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