China arrests 'seriously wanted' criminal

A Chinese man accused of robbing and raping women in a crime spree across more than 10 cities has been arrested by authorities, state media said on Thursday.

Zhang Haijun, 35, described by state broadcaster CCTV as "a criminal seriously wanted across the country", was arrested by police in the central Chinese province of Shaanxi on Wednesday, CCTV reported.

Police escorted Zhang, who used online house rental websites to contact female victims who he robbed and raped, to the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou, the report said.

CCTV showed Zhang with a shaved head and wearing handcuffs, adding that he had previously spent 13 years in jail, and was arrested by authorities in the coastal city of Qingdao last year but escaped while undergoing a medical check.

Zhang was responsible for 22 cases of rape and robbery in 13 cities in a 40 day crime spree last year, state-run news service Xinhua reported in April.