Disgraced former Yunlin County commissioner Liao Chuan-yu (
The 70-year-old Liao, a diabetic, is suffering from complications of the disease and is now being treated at the China Medical University (CMU) hospital.
Liao has been on the run since May 28, 2002, when he was convicted of contravening the Public Officials Election and Recall Law (
He fled to China the day before the judgment was handed down and was declared a fugitive on Nov. 30 of that year.
The Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) has been lobbying the Chinese authorities for his return since November 2002.
Iin a press release yesterday, however, the foundation said Liao had decided to return home of his own volition.
Liao's relatives contacted the foundation on Feb. 12 to request it to help arrange his return. The foundation then worked with the Mainland Affairs Council, the Civil Aeronautics Administration, the Ministry of Justice's Bureau of Investigation and the National Immigration Agency to arrange the particulars for Liao's return.
"We needed to take both the law and humane concerns into account," the SEF said in its press release.
"As long as administrative procedures are respected, [Liao] should be accorded as much medical care as he requires," it said.
Because of Liao's illness, he was given permission to return to Taiwan on a charter flight by the medical evacuation firm International SOS, which was paid for by his family.
The plane landed at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport yesterday morning and Liao was placed under arrest before disembarking. He was then taken to the hospital in Taichung in an ambulance.
At the hospital, he was questioned by a Yunlin County prosecutor and then granted bail for the purpose of medical treatment.
In the SEF news release, foundation Secretary You Ying-long (游盈隆) said the government had not received any help from the Chinese authorities when arranging for Liao's return.
"There are many wanted criminals from Taiwan hiding in the mainland, where they are allowed to appear in public at their leisure and even engage in investment and trade," You said.
He called for more cooperation between Chinese and Taiwanese authorities in order to bring fugitives to justice.
"Cross-strait cooperation in fighting crime should be an urgent task," You said.
"Allowing Taiwanese criminals to remain at large in China will inevitably cause Taiwanese people to view the Chinese authorities in a negative light," he said.
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