Chinese economic fugitive's confession letter made public

Chinese police escort Li Huabo (C), the second suspect from China's "100 most wanted economic fugitives" list, upon his arrival at the Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, May 9, 2015. Li was repatriated Saturday as part of operation "Sky Net". The Sky Net campaign aims to return fugitives for trial. [Photo: Xinhua]

The confession written by Li Huabo, one of China's most wanted economic fugitives, has just been made public.

The former local official from east China's Jiangxi Province, was the first of China's "100 most-wanted economic criminals" to be repatriated from Singapore as part of operation "Sky Net" on May 9, 2015.

The 55-year-old was suspected of embezzling 94 million yuan (around 15 million US dollars). He also funneled 29 million yuan (around 4 million US dollars) through Singaporean banks before fleeing to the country in 2011.

In 2012, he was sentenced to 15 months behind bars by a Singaporean court for "dishonestly accepting stolen property".

In his confession, Li Huabo expressed his regret about what he had done and apologized to his parents, wife and his daughter.

He writes about his life in Singapore, the country he fled to from China, saying that even if he was somehow able to escape punishment, he felt he would be dragging out an ignoble existence.

Li writes of his relief after deciding to come back to China and turn himself in.

The "Sky Net" campaign broadens the scope to bring more government departments on board, including not only party organs and law enforcement agencies, but also the central bank and diplomatic services.

It follows the "Fox Hunt" operation, which targeted corrupt officials and suspected economic criminals who have fled the country.

So far this year, a total of 409 different types of fugitives who fled the country have been arrested or repatriated to China as part of the "Sky Net" and "Fox Hunt" campaigns.