> They are often required to return these funds to China, potentially under threat of reduced prison sentences. This sounds not right... but yeah... it is China. And China does not have other means to use like US to extradite fugitives or request the money back even it got all the evidence... exit-ban and blackmailing are the only way China can go...

How is this different from western governments? Can the state even blackmail a person? Isn't that just called a deal or leniency for cooperation with prosecutors/regulators? And isn't it fairly routine for people charged with fraud and embezzlement to be prevented from leaving the country, particularly if they are had moved assets to foreign countries?

I'm no communist party apologist, but using tools like surveillance, deals, and travel bans to recover proceeds of white collar crime doesn't seem so wrong to me.