BEIJING - China is preparing to sign international law enforcement treaties with the aim of facilitating the repatriation of criminals hiding in other countries and encouraging international cooperation by sharing the criminal's illegally obtained proceeds, a high-ranking diplomat said on Friday.
Huang Huikang, director-general of the Department of Treaty and Law at the Foreign Ministry, said in an online interview that signing the treaties will also help "promote cooperation with other countries".
He didn't elaborate on which countries will be involved.
Huang said China is also in discussions with other countries to establish international prisoner transfer treaties, which would allow individuals who have committed crimes and been sentenced by the other country to be transferred to their home country.
"All the work has but one goal, which is no matter what crimes they have committed and no matter where they have fled to, we will bring them back," he said.
Huang added that China has made some encouraging achievements in repatriating criminals.
China's most wanted man, Lai Changxing, was finally repatriated from Canada last year in June after being on the run for 12 years.
Lai stands accused of being the mastermind of a multi-billion-dollar smuggling operation in China in the 1990s.
However, Huang said the country still has a long way to go in repatriating criminals and recovering their illegally obtained proceeds.
He added that determination and international cooperation has contributed to the achievements, but room for improvement remains.
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