The Chinese Foreign Ministry said Interpol issued a “red notice” Wednesday for the arrest of billionaire and Communist Party critic Guo Wengui, but gave no details of his alleged crimes.
"What we understand is that Interpol has already issued a 'red notice' for criminal suspect Guo Wengui," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters.
The comments came as VOA's Mandarin service interviewed Guo Wednesday. Guo had previously said he would provide details during the interview about Chinese leaders. He said earlier this week he had received threats from Chinese agents warning him against doing the interview.
"You [VOA reporters] mentioned that China's foreign ministry had talked to you and asked that you not report on this," Guo told VOA. "The reason is simple: The individual I'm about to expose, he has the power to direct the foreign ministry. He is truly afraid because he is corrupt."
Guo has made allegations of massive corruption within the highest levels of the Communist party and has been keeping out of the public view for the past three years. On Twitter, he dismissed the allegations from China, calling the red notice “suicidal behavior coming from truly corrupt officials who fear I will expose their crimes.”
“This will only strengthen my determination to fight these bad guys until the end. Everything is just getting started,” he added.
An Interpol red notice is described on the organization’s website as a “request to locate and provisionally arrest an individual pending extradition.” It is not legally binding and countries are free to act on the notice at their own discretion.
Guo has sent tweets over the past month indicating he was in both the U.S. and Britain. Neither of the countries hold extradition agreements with China.
The South China Morning Post, which first reported the red notice, cited anonymous sources claiming Guo is suspected of paying millions of dollars in bribes to disgraced former state security vice-minister Ma Jian, with whom he has been linked.
