US should live up to graft-fight promises

Corruption is a global phenomenon and a common enemy of mankind. And, as one country alone cannot completely wipe out the scourge, close international cooperation in anti-corruption has become a global consensus.

By strengthening their coordination and collaboration, China and the United States can send an unmistakable signal to the world that there is no haven in the world for corrupt officials and economic criminals of any background or nationality.

Following last year's successful "Fox Hunt", which targeted corrupt officials and suspected economic criminals who had fled the country, China launched an upgraded campaign code-named "Sky Net" in April, bringing more government departments on board, including the central bank and diplomatic services, as well as party organs and law enforcement agencies.

This is in line with the Beijing Declaration on Fighting Corruption, signed in November 2014, in which the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation members pledged to eliminate corruption through extradition and judicial assistance and adopt more flexible measures to recover the proceeds of corruption within the APEC economies.

However, US media reports on Sunday claimed that the US State Department has warned China in recent weeks to stop its "Sky Net" operations in the United States, in which, they claim, Chinese law enforcement personnel enter the country on trade or tourist visas and use "various strong-arm tactics" to pressure suspects to return to China.

In response to the allegations, a source close to China's Ministry of Public Security told China Daily on Monday that the ministry is strict about police officers applying for official visas when they go overseas on duty.

It would appear the two sides need to communicate more and that they still have to iron out the practical details of their anti-corruption cooperation.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced on Tuesday the arrest of the 300th foreign fugitive by the agency since October 2014.

However, the fact that none of these fugitives is reportedly of Chinese background despite the US being probably the most sought-after haven overseas for Chinese corrupt officials shows there is still ample room for cooperation between China and the US in the fight against corruption.

The United States should honor its commitment to international anti-corruption cooperation, so that the global hunt for corrupt Chinese officials and suspected economic criminals can be carried out efficiently.