China has taken the death penalty off the table as it negotiates with Canada over the extradition of the chief suspect in its most notorious smuggling and bribery scandal. If found guilty by a Chinese court, Lai Changxing would not be executed, Gan Yisheng, secretary-general of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China, said yesterday. Prosecutors allege that Lai, 53, ran a Xiamen-based criminal ring that smuggled as much as US$10 billion worth of goods under the protection of corrupt government officials. Authorities described the case as the biggest smuggling operation uncovered in China since 1949. Lai, his wife and their three children fled to Canada in 1999 and began a bid for refugee status, which has been denied. Canada's Federal Court is considering whether to grant China's request that Lai be returned for trial. When Lai's lawyer raised concerns about possible mistreatment in China, Gan noted that the country has signed an international convention banning torture. China respects the dignity of those who confess their crimes, and it protects their rights, Gan said. As a result of investigations into Lai's alleged wrongdoing, more than 30 people have turned themselves in, including some who returned from overseas areas, Gan said. Among them, Lai Changtu, Lai Changxing's brother, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. If he hadn't surrendered, he could have received the death penalty. More than 100 people involved in the smuggling and bribery case have been sentenced to life in prison and other periods of confinement, Gan said. All 19 people who were given life sentences have received term reductions, he said. Gan noted that Lai has been in Canada for more seven years and has not been able to convince authorities that he's a legitimate refugee. "There is an old expression in Chinese: 'The sea of bitterness has no bounds; repent and the shore is at hand,"' Gan told reporters at a news conference. "We advise Lai Changxing: Do not obstinately stick to the wrong course. The sensible choice is to make up your mind as soon as possible, come back and give yourself up, " he added.