Minister vows help in graft fight

China will strengthen efforts and inject new impetus into global coordination in the fight against corruption, a Chinese government minister pledged on Thursday.

Minister of Supervision Huang Shuxian made the promise when he joined dozens of world leaders and high-level officials in London for the Anti-Corruption Summit.

"The Chinese government has made cooperation, the pursuit of fugitives and the recovery of criminal proceeds part of its work plan on anti-corruption," Huang said at the summit.

He said China will continue to pursue fugitives and their illegal assets, adding that since 2014 it has brought back 1,657 fugitives suspected of corruption and economic crimes from 71 countries and regions and recovered illegal assets worth 6.29 billion yuan (about $1 billion).

"We will crack down on transnational commercial bribery, punishing such activities by both Chinese companies overseas and foreign companies in China," Huang said.

The summit was attended by leaders including British Prime Minister David Cameron, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. It focused on the cost of corruption, as well as how to expose, punish and eradicate it.

While Britain is pushing global efforts, China's measures have already attracted international attention.

Bernard Dewit, chairman of the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, said the Chinese leadership has placed anti-corruption measures high on the agenda on the basis that the rule of law applies to everyone.

"The efforts in this campaign should continue with respect for the law, which will help foreign investors to have more confidence in the institutions of the countries they are investing in, as well as their local partners," Dewit said.

fujing@chinadaily.com.cn