A new report reveals how the Chinese government has used harassment, “persuasion” and kidnappings to bypass international law as part of the notorious Fox Hunt operation.

By Scilla Alecci | Published by International Consortium of Investigative Journalists

Summary

Over the past decade China has forcibly repatriated more than 12,000 fugitives, as part of a state campaign to stamp out corruption, according to a new report by a human rights group.

Safeguard Defenders, the Spain-based group, says that Xi Jingping’s government has relied heavily on extrajudicial methods such as kidnappings, harassment and intimidation to “persuade” and coerce Chinese nationals living in more than 120 countries to return to China.

“Fox Hunt” is the official name of the international policing operation launched by the Chinese government in 2014. In 2015, it became part of a broader initiative called “Operation Sky Net,” which added dedicated task forces to crack down on money laundering, fake passports and illegal income, according to the report. Initially touted as ways to pursue fugitives and recover stolen property, “Fox Hunt” and “Sky Net” became the blueprint for Beijing’s repression of Chinese nationals overseas, including activists, journalists, and religious and ethnic minorities.

“It is essential to point out that these extrajudicial operations are illegal under international law regardless of the type of target and all constitute instances of transnational repression,” Laura Harth, one of the authors of the report, told the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.

Go to the publisher’s website here to read the report in full