A PIECE OF THE ACTION
The campaign is expected to run more smoothly with wider international cooperation. The UN recommends a ratio between leading countries and cooperative ones on how to divide confiscated assets.
"Some cases can get quite difficult, and cooperative foreign countries may get a larger share if their law enforcers have offered greater help," Huang said, adding that China is increasingly open to such negotiations.
"Superficially, our country might be at a disadvantage, but through such cooperation, other countries will become more active in helping us seize suspects and assets, and put the frighteners on potential runaways."
Huang revealed that China and Canada had reached agreement to carve up the spoils, but did not specify the ratio. The United States and China have been engaging in regular cooperation, including hunting fugitives in the United States.
Last week, U.S. State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said China should provide more evidence on priority fugitive cases to help the U.S. prosecute or extradite suspects.
Switzerland signed an automatic information exchange agreement last year to provide details of some bank accounts, effectively ending the protection enjoyed by economic criminals by Swiss banks.
PURSUIT & PERSUASION
For Fox Hunt 2015, the MPS want equal focus on seizing suspects and retrieving assets, through the dual efforts of pursuit and persuasion.
"2014 turned out a very good year for persuasion. It is much easier if the suspects return on their own free wills and we don't have to resort to judicial procedure," Huang said.
Huang noted that extradition via judicial channels is cumbersome since few countries have extradition treaties with China and some are reluctant to cooperate due to political concerns.
"In that case, we publicize the wanted list across the world and alert other countries so that the suspects become unwelcome guests, even though we can't catch them right now," Huang said.
"These thieves should never be allowed to live happily ever after in a foreign mansion. Only by cutting off the exits routes can we end corruption," he added.
