China's most wanted fugitive Yang Xiuzhu, who had been on the run for 13 years, returns to China and turns herself in to the authorities on Nov 16, 2016. [Photo/IC]

BEIJING -- China's most wanted fugitive Yang Xiuzhu, who had been on the run for 13 years, returned to China Wednesday and turned herself in to the authorities, according to the Communist Party of China's disciplinary watchdog.

Yang, 70, who was former deputy director of the construction bureau of East China's Zhejiang province, fled China in April 2003 after graft inspectors began an investigation into her alleged involvement in embezzlement, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said.

She was number one on China's top 100 fugitives, which were released in an Interpol "red notice." Yang is the 37th to return so far.