Another Chinese citizen living in Australia has returned home to face charges under a controversial global anti-corruption drive by Beijing dubbed Operation Fox Hunt, according to Chinese media reports.

Key points: Lai Mingmin left China in 2001 and was accused of corruption and bribery

Lai Mingmin left China in 2001 and was accused of corruption and bribery Operation Fox Hunt is a key element of Xi Jinping's anti-corruption policy

Operation Fox Hunt is a key element of Xi Jinping's anti-corruption policy Many Fox Hunt targets who have returned to China have done so after years of covert pressure

On Friday Chinese media claimed Sydney man Lai Mingmin, 66, returned voluntarily.

However, there are numerous cases of Fox Hunt targets being subject to covert threats and coercion by Chinese security officials to ensure their return.

Mr Lai left China in 2001 and was accused of corruption and bribery during his time as the head of the Bank of China's Jiangmen branch, in the southern province of Guangdong, Chinese media stated on Friday.

An article by China's state-run press agency Xinhua trumpeted Mr Lai's return.

"Lai Mingmin fled for 17 years and his return … shows the positive results of the Party Central Committee's decisions, based on comrade Xi Jinping's policy," the article stated.

Operation Fox Hunt, also known as Skynet, is a key element of one of President Xi Jinping's signature anti-corruption policies.

The policy has attracted criticisms abroad, with critics saying it sometimes targets innocent people as well as Mr Xi's political opponents.

Many of the Fox Hunt targets who have returned to China have done so after years of covert pressure from China's security agencies.

It was reported in 2015 that Chinese police travelled undercover to Australia without permission from the Australian Federal Police in order to coerce suspects to return to China. Canberra has protested against those acts diplomatically.

Last year the Coalition delayed ratifying an extradition treaty with China, following concern about the treatment of suspects.

In September the AFP signed a deal with China's federal police agency, the Ministry of Public Security, outlining how Chinese police can pursue Chinese citizens living in Australia.

In 2015, China identified hundreds of corruption suspects living abroad, of which 10 were in Australia. Since then about three-quarters of the Australian suspects have returned "voluntarily".

Over 4,100 targets from across the world have returned to China or been captured and nearly 10 billion yuan ($2 billion) has been recovered as a result of Fox Hunt, China says.

Comment is being sought from the Department of Home Affairs.