15 Dec 2018

Chinese fugitive left New Zealand voluntarily

8:37 am on 15 December 2018

A Chinese fugitive went home voluntarily and was not sent back by New Zealand authorities, police say.

Air New Zealand plane

Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

According to China's state-run news site Xinhua, Jiang Lei, the former Vice President of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers - has been accused of corruption.

Xinhua reports Mr Lei was returned to China to surrender with assistance from law enforcement agencies in New Zealand.

But the police said Mr Lei returned in a deal between his solicitor and the Chinese authorities.

The police were not party to the agreement, but said they were aware of the negotiations.

Mr Lei moved to New Zealand 11 years ago.