Chinese economic fugitive arrested, deported after hiding in Cambodia for 6 years

A Cambodian senior police officer confirmed Wednesday that Chinese economic fugitive Sun Xin, 46, and a former cashier of the Beijing municipal bureau of press, had worked in a factory in west Cambodia's Kampong Speu province for six years before being arrested and sent back to China.

"We had cooperated with Chinese police officers to arrest him in Kampong Speu province, some 50 km west of capital Phnom Penh, on June 3 and deported him to China on June 8," the Interior Ministry's Internal Security Department officer, who asked not to be named, told Xinhua over telephone.

He said that to arrest Sun, the police asked one of Sun's friends to invite Sun for a meeting at a roadside place, and when Sun came out of the factory for the meeting, an arrest was made.

According to the officer, the arrest was carried out at the request of the Chinese Police, who learned that Sun was hiding in Cambodia.

"The arrest was made in accordance with all legal procedures -- there was an arrest warrant from the Chinese Police, a request from the Chinese Embassy to Cambodia, and the approval from the Cambodian Interior Ministry and the Cambodian National Police," he said.

He said Sun entered Cambodia in April 2009 via Phnom Penh International Airport.

"We did not know whether he entered Cambodia legally or illegally because when we arrested him on June 3, he said that he lost his passport," he added.

Commenting on cooperation between Cambodia and China in fighting against crimes, the officer said Cambodia always cooperates well with all friendly countries, including China.

Sun is suspected of embezzlement while at the bureau. He allegedly transferred money to his own company and used some of it to play the futures and stock market.

He fled to Southeast Asia on Oct. 2008. Chinese police learned that Sun was hiding in Cambodia in May and worked with the Cambodia public security department to locate Sun.

Interpol's National Central Bureau of China released a list of 100 persons wanted worldwide in April, including 77 men and 23 women allegedly involved in corruption.

The list is part of the "Sky Net" campaign to repatriate corruption suspects. Sky Net involves the government, the Communist Party of China (CPC), the central bank and diplomatic services. According to CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), those on the list are only a fraction of its targets. Endi