CCTV9英语新闻：China urges US to repatriate ex-official asap（在线收听）

China has urged the United States to repatriate a fugitive Chinese ex-official at the earliest date.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei said this after the first hearing in the trial of China's most wanted economic fugitive Yang Xiuzhu took place in a New York immigration court Tuesday.

During the hearing, Yang applied for asylum in the US. Yang is the former vice mayor of Wenzhou in east China's Zhejiang Province. She fled China when investigators started looking into her activities in 2003. She was taken into custody last month in the US.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement accused her of "violating the terms of the Visa Waiver Program" and asked the immigration court to deport her to China. During a press briefing, Hong Lei said Yang should be punished in China according to Chinese law. 

"Yang Xiuzhu is suspected of corruption in China. The United States should return her as soon as possible so she can be punished by Chinese law. China and the US have cooperated in several cases through relevant channels, and the two sides will further join efforts in striking against transnational crime. No matter how far those suspects have fled, the Chinese government will continue its efforts in pursuing them and bringing them to justice," Hong said.