Chinese President Xi Jinping is seeking the cooperation of global leaders and will use international forums such as the G20 Summit to promote Beijing's anti-corruption campaign, specifically in hunting down financial fugitives who have fled abroad.

President Xi said he would also call on western nations like the United States to back Beijing in its efforts to go after graft suspects who are hiding overseas.

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In a speech before the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), Xi said he would push for greater cooperation from the international community in his fight against corruption.

"In the past, the United States and other Western nations often used the corruption issue to attack us at multilateral occasions such as the United Nations, G20 and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation," the president told People's Daily on Tuesday.

He said China's ongoing anti-corruption drive has allowed Beijing to 'occupy the international moral high ground' and has somehow improved its reputation on the global stage.

Strategic Initiative

Xi said he is eyeing the 'strategic initiative' of the G20 Summit and other international avenues to boost Beijing's efforts in its campaign to go after economic fugitives.

"We will put forward a series of proposals on global anti-corruption efforts and establish a new international order on fighting corruption. In particular, we will ratchet up pressure on the US and other Western nations ... which used to think those criminal suspects as their cards [against China]," he said.

Analysts remain skeptical about the cooperation Beijing is seeking from other countries. Most western nations such as the US and Canada, among others, refuse to set up extradition treaties with China because of its poor human rights record.

Mistreatment of suspects

These western countries refuse to get involved in China's campaign citing its mistreatment of suspects and its lack of evidence to prove guilt.

Some analysts in Beijing said Xi may be attempting to address concerns relating to the Panama Papers, which exposed relatives of past and current Chinese leaders as owners of offshore shell companies.

"Beijing finds itself in the eye of the storm over the Panama Papers and everyone is waiting to see how the leadership handles the credibility crisis," Zhang Lifan, a Beijing-based analyst, said.

Zhang said it is unlikely western nations would be willing to cooperate with China on corruption right now.

TagsPresident Xi Jinping, anti-corruption campaign, international community, G20 summit, Beijing, financial fugitives