China will not execute criminal suspects repatriated from Spain, a decision that could help persuade more Western countries to join China's efforts tracking down corrupt officials who have fled abroad.

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) ratified the repatriation treaty with Spain on Saturday.

It is the first time China has signed such a treaty with a European or North American country, according to Vice-Foreign Minister Wu Dawei.

"The treaty will provide the legal basis for China to chase criminal suspects who have fled abroad," said Wu earlier last week at a session of the NPC Standing Committee.

The treaty marks a "major shift in tactics" in bringing fugitive corrupt officials back under its own legal jurisdiction, Xinhua quoted Xu Hong, a counsellor with the department of treaty and law under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as saying on Saturday.

"The treaty will help China weave a global extradition net to bring back corrupt officials who seek asylum in developed countries in Europe and North America," said Xu in an interview with Xinhua.

Many nations are unwilling to send criminal suspects back to China because they face the death penalty.

The most well-known case is Lai Changxing, who is believed to be involved in a series of smuggling and bribery cases in East China's Fujian Province.

He fled to Canada in 1999 and is still there.

Xinhua said that from 1993 to January 2005, more than 230 Chinese criminal suspects had been repatriated from more than 30 countries and regions with assistance from Interpol, the international police organization.

Since 1993, China has signed extradition treaties with more than 20 countries, mostly developing countries.

Negotiations with developed countries were moving more slowly, said Xinhua.

The NPC Standing Committee on Saturday also ratified an extradition treaty with Brazil, and treaties on legal assistance in criminal matters with Spain and France respectively.

Adoption of new laws

Lawmakers on Saturday also passed a law relating to the quality and safety of agricultural products, as well as a law on passports.

An official with the Legislative Affairs Commission under the NPC Standing Committee said that the law on farm produce quality was drafted to deal with problems with farm produce caused by air, land and water pollution.

The law, which takes effect on November 1, bars the discharge of sewage, waste gas, solid waste and other poisonous substances onto agricultural production areas.

It also prevents the planting and harvesting of produce in areas where poisonous and harmful substances exceed statutory levels.

The law relating to passports will take effect at the beginning of next year and aims to regulate the issuing and administration of passports.

China issued more than 4.8 million passports in 2004. But many fake passports have also been found, particularly in illegal immigration cases.

Wu Bangguo, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, said on Saturday that China would improve legal education over the next five years for law enforcement officials, mainly police officers, prosecutors, judges and prison guards.

(China Daily 05/01/2006 page2)