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China fugitive Lai said to have close links with top official
2006-11-04
Chinese fugitive Lai Changxing, the alleged boss of a multi-billion-dollar smuggling ring, has revealed he had close links with China's top political adviser and said he had information which could topple senior officials, a report says. In an interview with Hong Kong-based weekly magazine Yazhou Zhoukan, China's most wanted man said he had close connections with Jia Qinglin, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Lai also said he was willing under "certain conditions" to provide clues to investigators from the communist party's top anti-graft watchdog that would expose other senior party officials with whom he had connections. "As soon as I mention a few things, these people would be forced to step down," he was quoted as saying in an interview in Vancouver. Chinese authorities allege that the former laborer was the mastermind behind a 10 billion-dollar smuggling ring that imported luxury goods from southeast Fujian province and bribed government officials. His comments came as Chinese President Hu Jintao steps up a crackdown on corruption which has brought down Shanghai party boss Chen Liangyu and top state statistics chief Qiu Xiaohua. Lai said although he had never given Jia money, he had given him nice "gifts". He said several high-ranking officials had been his business partners and that he was also involved with senior officials in Beijing and Fujian, where Jia worked during the time Lai was most active. Lai said he had close ties with businessmen in China and in the gambling centre of Macau. "Before, they would find it difficult even to meet me, and now they have money and power, all with the help of Jia Qinglin," he said. But Lai said he was disappointed by his "friends" whom he "helped" in the past but who never offered to help him in return due to his plight. Lai has been fighting to stay in Canada since fleeing China in 1999 and claiming refugee status in 2000. He has argued that he would face persecution and certain death if sent home. In June, a federal court delayed his deportation to allow his legal challenge. A special hearing has been scheduled for January 17 to allow Lai to quash a Canadian deportation order. It is illegal in Canada, which does not have capital punishment, to deport people to countries where they could face execution if convicted of a crime. China, however, has made a diplomatic promise to Canada that Lai would not be executed if tried and convicted.
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