China blasts US charges against agents seeking man's return

China on Thursday accused U.S. of seeking to smear Beijing's efforts to pursue fugitives, a day after Justice Department charged eight people with seeking to coerce a New Jersey man who was wanted by Beijing into returning to China to face charges.Foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said China was engd in a “just cause to fight transnational crime and pursue fugitives and stolen goods internationally."

“ U.S., out of ulterior motives, igred basic facts and discredited China’s efforts," Wang told reporters at a daily briefing. U.S. should “bear international responsibilities and avoid being a haven for criminals," Wang said, ding that China's nts abro followed local laws and protected “legitimate rights and interests of suspects."

China has for years sought to induce white collar criminals who have fled abro — particularly to United States — to return under a program called “Fox Hunt.” Because China has extrition treaty with U.S., decision to return home must technically be voluntary, although U.S. officials say in practice such operations often rely on threats, intimidation and bullying, often targeting dissidents and political opponents.

Five of eight charged, including an American private investigator, were arrested Wednesday. or three are believed to be in China. All eight were charged with conspiring to act as illegal nts for China in a case filed in federal court in Brooklyn.“Without coordination with our government, China’s repatriation squs enter sovereign territory of United States, surveil and locate alleged fugitives and deploy intimidation and or tactics to force m back into China, where y would face certain imprisonment or worse following illegitimate trials,” Assistant Attorney General John Demers, Justice Department’s top national security official, said at a news conference anuncing charges.

In case anunced Wednesday, prosecutors said defendants over a period of several years harassed family of a man who h been a city government official in China before arriving in U.S. 10 years ago. Justice Department said defendants broke law by failing to tify U.S. that y were acting as nts of Chinese government. Several are also charged with conspiracy to commit international and interstate stalking.

(Im Credit: AP) 

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