Ex-official on 'most wanted' list is arrested

Policemen escorts Li Huabo (center), the second suspect from China's "100 most wanted economic fugitives" list, after he was repatriated from Singapore on May 9, 2015, as part of operation "Sky Net". [Photo/ccdi.gov]

However, the countries do not have an extradition treaty, and a complex series of talks followed about how he could be returned to China. Li and his family officially emigrated to Singapore and obtained permanent residency.

He was sentenced to 15 months in prison by a Singapore court for "dishonestly accepting stolen property" on July 10, 2014, and served 10 months. A total of 182,000 Singapore dollars ($137,000) confiscated by the authorities there has been returned to Poyang.

The Central Commission of Disciplinary Inspection, China's top anti-graft authority, said the list of 100 economic fugitives and the arrest warrants issued against them are part of an operation called Sky Net. The initiative began last month and targets officials suspected of corruption who are at large in foreign countries. The aim is to recover misappropriated money and assets.

The United States, Canada and Australia have become popular destinations for corrupt officials who have transferred millions of yuan overseas through money-laundering operations and underground banks.

Officials said China will continue to intensify cooperation with a wide range of countries to bring the suspects to justice.