'Sky Net' drive snares more than 14,000

China has repatriated more than 14,000 fugitives from over 120 countries and regions in the past decade as part of a sweeping anti-corruption campaign, the country's top graft watchdogs said on Thursday.

Among them, 2,999 were members of the Communist Party of China and government officials, and authorities had recovered 66.62 billion yuan ($9.3 billion) in illicit assets by the end of last year, according to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision.

Additionally, 62 of the 100 most-wanted fugitives subject to Interpol Red Notices have been returned to China, the commissions said.

"These figures are vivid examples of the remarkable achievements made in the international pursuit and recovery of corrupt fugitives and illicit proceeds," the commissions said in a statement, summarizing the results of the decadelong "Sky Net" campaign.

Originally launched in March 2015, the campaign aims to track down fugitives, recover illegal assets and combat cross-border corruption. It is led by the office for fugitive repatriation and asset recovery under the Central Anti-Corruption Coordination Group.

Guo Jiefang, a former police officer in Guangdong province who was one of China's 100 most-wanted fugitives, returned in June 2023 after 23 years on the run. She was the first fugitive on the list to surrender since the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2022, and the 62nd to be repatriated since the campaign's launch.

In November, Xu Haipeng, a former general manager of the legal compliance department at Jiangxi Province Financing Guarantee Group Co, also turned himself in overseas and was repatriated. He had fled less than three months earlier.

This year's Sky Net campaign was launched on Monday, with authorities vowing to maintain pressure on corrupt officials who have fled abroad and deepen international cooperation.

The National Commission of Supervision will lead efforts to recover illicit assets tied to duty-related crimes, while the People's Bank of China and the Ministry of Public Security will focus on cracking down on illicit fund transfers via offshore companies or underground banking networks.

China has also expanded its legal framework for extradition and asset recovery. The office said the country has signed 178 treaties with 83 countries, covering extradition, judicial assistance and asset return and sharing. Additionally, China has signed financial intelligence-sharing agreements with 63 countries and regions.

"We will continue strengthening cross-border anti-corruption efforts and enhancing mechanisms for fugitive repatriation and asset recovery to provide robust support for the ongoing fight against corruption," the office said.