BEIJING, July 31 (Xinhua) — China had repatriated 413 criminal suspects from more than 20 countries and regions since 1998, according to a senior official with the Ministry of Public Security.

    Deputy Public Security Minister Meng Hongwei said on Tuesday at a national conference that the repatriations “had contributed to social stability and fight against corruption”.

    The ministry’s statistics show Chinese police have traced more than 300 wanted officials who have allegedly fled abroad with illegal earnings since 1998, and 37 were arrested and returned to China in 2006 alone.

    Chinese police had strengthened their intelligence on the activities of fugitive suspects and the government had stepped up international cooperation, concluding 72 judicial cooperation agreements with 48 countries and treaties on extradition with 24 countries.

    China is seeking the repatriation of alleged smuggling kingpin Lai Changxing from Canada.

    Lai was accused of being the mastermind behind the country’s largest smuggling ring. He fled to Canada in 1999 and remains there. China is seeking to bring him back to face charges of smuggling, bribery and tax evasion.