Federal and provincial New Democrats from B.C. are asking Ottawa and China to work out an agreement to extradite the man charged in the death of Amanda Zhao, who was found stuffed in a suitcase five years ago.

Amanda Zhao's body was found stuffed in a suitcase in Mission, B.C., days after she disappeared on the evening of Oct. 9, 2002.
(CBC)

Zhao, 21, who was in Vancouver as an international student from China, was reported missing on Oct. 9, 2002. Her body was found 11 days later near Mission, B.C., in the Fraser Valley.

Ang Li, Zhao's boyfriend, has been charged with second-degree murder in B.C. but fled to China before a warrant was issued for his arrest.

"We want to see justice for Amanda Zhao and for her family, so we're calling on the PRC [People's Republic of China] and the Canadian government, the minister of foreign affairs and the minister of justice to negotiate a specific agreement regarding this case, " NDP MP Bill Siksay said Friday.

The Canadian government has said it will follow due process according to the law but there's no extradition treaty between Canada and China.

Ang Li, charged with second-degree murder in B.C., returned to China shortly after his girlfriend's body was found in Mission.
(CBC)

"We have laid a second-degree murder charge against Mr. Li. We would like him back here but there's no legal way to bring him back here," B.C. Attorney General Wally Oppal said on Friday.

NDP MP Libby Davies said the provincial and federal governments are dragging their feet in dealing with China.

"Come on! Get your act together. This is about justice. This is about the federal government and the provincial government undertaking their responsibility in an efficient manner. Quite frankly, we're appalled that five years have gone by and still nothing has happened," Davies said.

In December 2002, Han Zhang, Li's cousin, also a student from China, was arrested in connection with Zhao's death. Zhang was charged with being an accessory after the fact.

Li was reportedly taken into custody in China in February 2004 but was released shortly after by Chinese authorities, due to a lack of evidence.

Li, who was interviewed by CBC News days after his girlfriend disappeared, said at the time: "I hope she'll be fine. I believe she'll be alright."