Analysts refute claims of Chinese operatives pressing fugitives in U.S.
Chinese analysts repudiated foreign media claims that the U.S. had warned China to stop its "agents" from pressuring fugitives including some suspected of corruption to return home, calling the reports "misleading."
The New York Times reported Sunday that the U.S. had sent a warning to Chinese officials in recent weeks and demanded a halt to the activities aimed at bringing back suspects who fled China with huge amounts of State assets.
China has continued to run the Fox Hunt operation in 2015 aimed at hunting down economic fugitives and corrupt officials.
An analyst who declined to give his name called the report misleading because China and the U.S. share different systems and those who participate in operation Fox Hunt are not agents but police officers acknowledged by both governments.
Li Wei, an anti-terrorism expert with the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times Monday that Chinese police officers usually try to bring the fugitives back to China through persuasion.
"By definition, it is not an enforcement action and it does not violate the U.S. laws. China's 'Fox Hunt' operation does not harm any countries' interests," he said, adding that the United Nations has passed the Convention against Corruption which has been supported by many countries including the U.S..
China in March announced that it has provided a "priority" list to the U.S. of Chinese officials who are suspected of corruption and are believed to have fled to the U.S., requesting that the country extradite them back to China.
The report "which tried to escalate the operation as a spy conflict between the U.S. and China is somewhat digressive, as China has not used secret agents in the Fox Hunt operation," Li added.
The New York Times report went on saying that the issue came amid growing tension between Washington and Beijing on several issues, which may complicate the state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
However, Jin Canrong, an expert at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Monday that the issue will not cause a major setback to the Sino-U.S. relations and it may be part of the U.S. efforts to add to its bargaining chip for Xi's visit. "Bilateral cooperation on anti-graft is more important," he noted.
Chinese foreign ministry was not available for comment as of press time.
