The People’s Republic of China has signed an extradition treaty with Nigeria and 76 other countries to enhance international cooperation against corruption and for the extradition of fugitives abroad.
The Asian giant has also vowed to improve the business environment and build “a road of clean governance” with countries along the Belt and Road Initiative of which Nigeria is a member.
This was part of the highlight of the 2019 edition of the Forum of China-Africa Cooperation Summit which ended in Beijing on Saturday.
A statement from the Embassy of China in Nigeria said the economic powerhouse had launched the ‘Sky Net 2019’ in January, to target fugitives suspected of involvement in graft and prevent corrupt officials from fleeing abroad.
The Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party of China Congress Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, Li Shulei, disclosed that his country had signed 120 agreements with 77 countries to snare fugitives abroad, including 55 extradition treaties and 64 mutual legal assistance treaties.
The senior Communist party official stated, “China has signed 120 agreements with 77 countries to snare fugitives abroad and confiscate ill-gotten gains, 55 extradition treaties and 64 mutual legal assistance treaties, and concluded multiple international conventions including the United Nations Convention against Corruption, to build a road of clean government.”
Speaking in the same vein, the Deputy Director, China against Corruption Law Association, Deng Lianfan, said establishing an international anti-corruption mechanism would effectively curb potential corrupt elements and ensure that funds and resources “will be implemented in reality, which will also help China build a positive image among foreign countries.”
A professor from the anti-corruption research centre, Tsinghua University, Chen Wenhao, was quoted as saying that a worldwide crackdown on corruption was necessary to bring corrupt individuals to justice.
He said, “A worldwide crackdown on corruption is absolutely necessary, but some people are able to evade being brought to justice due to different national legal systems. Countries need to cooperate in case investigations and information sharing.” (Punchng)
