China on Friday welcomed the Canadian Federal Court's decision to uphold the deportation of Lai Changxing, one of China's most wanted fugitives.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu made the remark in a statement posted on the ministry's website.

Ma said Lai is the prime suspect in a smuggling case in the city of Xiamen and has been sought by law enforcement for several years.

"The Chinese government's position is very clear that Lai should be deported to China and put on trial," Ma said.

Lai arrived in Canada in 1九9九 on a tourist visa. Since then, he has fought his deportation in one of the country's longest extradition cases.

Source: Xinhua