China deports 25 suspects to Taiwan

Beijing, Jan 27: Chinese police have sent 25 criminal suspects back to Taiwan in the country's largest mass deportation in a single day, state media reported.

The suspects, wanted by Taiwan police, were transported on a ship from Mawei, in China's southeastern province of Fujian, to Taiwan's Matsu island yesterday, Xinhua news agency said, citing border police.

''Seventeen of the 25 suspects were charged with racketeering, four face drugs charges and the remainder face charges of murder and smuggling,'' Xinhua said, quoting Taiwan media.

The mass deportation came a day after China deported Li Hanyang, who was captured on the mainland on January 9 after being accused by Taiwan authorities of stealing 56 million Taiwan dollars from a bank security van in the island's capital, Taipei, Xinhua said.

Police on the mainland have returned 123 criminal suspects to Taiwan since 2000, Xinhua said, citing China's Ministry of Public Security.

But extradition remains a thorny issue between China and self-ruled Taiwan, who Beijing claims sovereignty over since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949 and has threatened to wrest back through military force.

Taipei believes over 70 mostly white-collar criminals are hiding in China, which allows Taiwan citizens to pass its borders with minimal hassle.

Reuters