The Supreme People's Procuratorate said on Tuesday that it has started arrest and extradition procedures against Zhang Hai, the former president of beverage maker Jianlibao Group, who is wanted on suspicion of bribing prison officials to obtain early release from jail.

Zhang, is said to have left the country with his girlfriend after being freed from jail in 2011. He had served four years behind bars for embezzlement.

"We have notified the Ministry of Public Security, and it has issued a warrant," the SPP said in a statement. It did not specify where Zhang had gone.