China urged the Canadian authorities to return smuggling kingpin Lai Changxing as soon as possible, and pledged that Lai will be judged legally and fairly, if he is returned from Canada and found guilty.

Lai Changxing in Vancouver, Canada, in 2001. Chinese fugitive Changxing's deportation to China was postponed, after Canada's Federal Court scheduled a hearing on May 31 in his last-ditch effort to remain in Canada. [AFP]

Canada's Border Services Agency had planned to deport Lai Friday,but that is on hold until at least next Wednesday when a Federal Court is tentatively scheduled to hear arguments on whether he should be allowed to stay in Canada longer.

Lai, one of China's most wanted fugitives, is accused of overseeing a massive smuggling operation that brought goods ranging from oil to cigarettes and cars into China in the 1990s and of bribing officials to avoid paying duties and taxes.

"We have asked the Canadian authorities to return Lai Changxing to China as soon as possible," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a regular news briefing.

When asked if China had guaranteed Lai would not face the death penalty, Liu said: "If he is sent back to China he will be judged fairly."

Canada, which does not have the death penalty, routinely requires that no captial punishment should be made for the fugitive before returning accused criminals.

Lai fled to Canada in 1999 and alleges the charges against him are political.
Canadian immigration officials, who have opposed Lai's bid for political refugee status, have sided with China's argument that the charges against Lai are criminal, not political.

Harper said Lai has had full use of Canada's immigration and court systems, and denied that Canada was under pressure to return Lai to China.

"I don't think that anybody really believes that the Canadian government takes orders from the Chinese government," Harper said.