China has captured or brought about the surrender of 180 people suspected of committing economic crimes as part of an aggressive anti-corruption campaign targeting suspects who have fled abroad.

The campaign, dubbed "Fox Hunt", included the arrests of 104 suspects, the Ministry of Public Security said on Thursday. Seventy-six people returned to China to surrender.

The announcement came three months after the government launched the operation to hunt down officials and businessmen who have absconded, often taking their ill-gotten gains with them. The government has given no recent overall figure for the number at large around the world.