BEIJING, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- China signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with six countries, including Thailand, Argentina and Belarus, on anti-graft cooperation in 2018, said an office in charge of fugitive repatriation and asset recovery under China's Central Anti-Corruption Coordination Group.

Photo: Xinhua

According to the office, China launched consultations on anti-graft cooperation last year with more than 50 countries, including the United States, New Zealand and Canada.

The office also noted the signing of five extradition treaties, four judicial assistance treaties and four financial information exchange agreements in 2018.

China has been pushing forward anti-graft cooperation with other countries and regions over the past year, with a string of corruption fugitives brought back from overseas.

In December 2018, a MOU on anti-graft law enforcement cooperation was signed between China and Australia, the first document on such cooperation signed between China and a western country since the National Supervisory Commission was inaugurated in March 2018.

In June last year, China released information on 50 fugitives suspected of duty-related or economic crimes, with six returned to China as of Jan. 15.

A manhunt coded "Sky Net," focusing mainly on corruption fugitives and illegal asset recovery overseas, brought 1,335 fugitives back in 2018, among whom 17 were extradited and 66 were repatriated to China, and recovered more than 10.5 billion yuan ($1.56 billion) of illegal gains since 2014.