China launches 'Sky Net' campaign to capture fugitive officials

An economic fraud suspect (right) is returned to Beijing under police escort on Tuesday after 10 years on the run in Italy, marking the first extradition of its kind to China from a European country, according to the Ministry of Public Security. The suspect, who worked at a securities company in Hebei province, is suspected of stealing more than 1.4 million yuan ($223,700) from clients between January 2000 and January 2005. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING - China will launch a campaign code named "Skynet" in a bid to capture corrupt officials who fled abroad, the country's anti-graft authority said Thursday.

It will be another major campaign to nab fugitive suspects of economic offenses following the "Fox Hunt" campaign last year.

From April, involved departments will make joint efforts to capture a group of corrupt officials, clean up illegal certificates, bust underground banks, recover assets involved in criminal cases and persuade fugitive suspects to return home, according to a meeting of the central authority's anti-graft coordination group.

"Sky Net" will involve several government departments, including the Organizational Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP), the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), the People's Bank of China (PBOC), or the central bank.