Chinese man wanted on corruption charges is returned from US

A most-wanted Chinese fugitive suspected of graft and bribery was brought back from the US today after he fled there in 2001, officials said.
Yang Jinjun, the businessman brother of a former deputy mayor in the eastern city of Wenzhou, is the first person to be repatriated to China from the US since the "Sky Net" operation targeting 100 fugitives was launched in April, the Ministry of Supervision said.
As part of its anti-corruption campaign, China has sought to repatriate businesspeople and government officials accused of economic crimes. The Sky Net operation follows the 2014 "Fox Hunt" campaign that caught 680 fugitives, according to China's Ministry of Public Security.

Sky Net is a multi-agency operation that targets high-profile fugitives, such as Yang's sister Yang Xiuzhu, who has been detained in the United States but is seeking political asylum.
She is wanted in China for embezzling more than USD 40 million while she was deputy mayor and held another top post in Wenzhou.
There is no extradition treaty between Beijing and Washington. The US has been reluctant to send back Chinese fugitives, citing shortcomings in China's rule of law, opaque courts, and poor human rights records. That has made the US a top destination for Chinese fugitives.
The last prominent case was in 2004, when the United States sent back Chinese bank executive Yu Zhendong, accused of embezzling USD 485 million with other defendants, on the condition that Yu would not be tortured or given the death penalty, which is common in China even for less serious corruption cases.

China is seeking to strengthen cooperation with US law enforcement officials, who demand solid evidence from their Chinese counterparts on suspects who have absconded to the US.