China hails return of 'red notice' fugitive from US

BEIJING - The return to China of its most wanted fugitive Yang Xiuzhu is "a major achievement" in China-US law enforcement cooperation, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.

Yang, who had been on the run for 13 years, returned to China Wednesday and turned herself in to the authorities, according to the Communist Party of China's disciplinary watchdog.

"Yang's return is a major achievement in China-US law enforcement cooperation on anti-corruption," spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a press briefing.

According to Geng, China and the United States communicated and cooperated through a Joint Liaison Group on law enforcement cooperation, to secure the return of Yang, who fled to the United States in May 2014.

"China appreciates the assistance of the United States and all other countries involved in the process," he said.

Yang, 70, who was former deputy director of the construction bureau of east China's Zhejiang Province, fled China in April 2003 after graft inspectors began an investigation into her alleged involvement in embezzlement, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said.

She was number one on China's top 100 fugitives, which were released in an Interpol "red notice." Yang is the 37th to return so far.

Geng said the successful cooperation shows that corruption is the common enemy of the international community.

The international community agree on a "zero tolerance, zero loopholes and zero barrier" approach in anti-corruption law enforcement cooperation, said Geng.

"China will continue to cooperate with other countries to bring back corrupt fugitives," the spokesperson said.