Suspect in killing of Chinese citizens repatriated from US
By YANG ZEKUN | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2026-07-20 20:40
A key suspect in the kidnapping and killing of Chinese citizens overseas was repatriated from the United States and handed over to Chinese police on Monday, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Public Security.
The suspect, surnamed Liu, was taken into police custody after a commercial flight carrying him landed at Beijing Capital International Airport on Monday. His return was coordinated by the ministry.
In June 2024, several Chinese citizens, including one surnamed Xia, were lured to the Philippines, where they were kidnapped and killed by a criminal group, according to the ministry.
Police identified Liu as a major suspect in the case and found that he had fled to the US following the crimes.
The ministry prioritized the case and formed a special task force to conduct a comprehensive investigation. Chinese police worked closely with law enforcement agencies in the US, the Philippines and the Republic of Korea to investigate the crimes and track down the suspect.
At China's request, Interpol issued a Red Notice for Liu. Chinese authorities also held several rounds of discussions with their US counterparts and shared information and evidence in an effort to secure his arrest and repatriation.
Acting on information and evidence provided by China, US authorities arrested Liu in October 2024. He was repatriated to China and handed over to Chinese police on Monday, the ministry said.
A ministry official said the progress in the case was the result of efforts by Chinese and US law enforcement to implement the consensus reached by the heads of state of the two countries.
The official described the developments as another example of successful China-US cooperation in combating transnational crime.
Chinese police will firmly safeguard the security and interests of Chinese citizens, the official said, adding that anyone who commits crimes against Chinese nationals will be pursued and punished in accordance with the law, regardless of where the crimes occur.
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