BEIJING -- The Chinese mainland and Taiwan have returned to each other 37,790 criminals, criminal suspects and people guilty of illegal entry since 1990, a mainland official said here Wednesday.

"Among the total, 266 were handed over by the Chinese mainland to Taiwan," Yang Yi, Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council spokesman, told a press briefing.

Yang did not comment on the reasons for the imbalances in the figures or on the proportions of illegal migrants.

The latest case was the handing over on January 25 of the suspected Taiwan robber Li Hanyang.

Li is accused of stealing 56 million New Taiwan dollars (about US$1.75 million) after drugging a colleague in a bank security van in Taipei on January 2.

Handover operations are based on the Jinmen Agreement, signed in September 1990 between Red Cross organizations across the Straits.

Yang said the Chinese mainland and Taiwan have "smooth" communication in fighting crime and "operations are effective."

He said the Chinese mainland hopes to work more closely with Taiwan and urged Taiwan authorities to do their part to facilitate this type of cooperation.