Telecom fraud fight intensified

China will work together with the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to combat online gambling and telecom fraud, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday, during a meeting in Beijing with diplomatic envoys from the 10 ASEAN countries.

A series of severe cases of online gambling and telecom fraud at the Myanmar-Thailand border have posed threats to and harmed the interests of citizens from China and other countries, which requires high attention, Wang said.

He called on relevant countries to shoulder responsibility and adopt effective measures to ensure the safety of people's lives and property, and never allow criminals to go unpunished.

China is willing to strengthen bilateral and multilateral law enforcement and security cooperation with ASEAN nations to provide a safe environment for people-to-people exchanges and maintain the sound order of regional interactions and cooperation, he added.

Earlier, in a statement issued on Wednesday night, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security said it is making all-out efforts to rescue Chinese citizens who went missing or were trapped after being deceived into traveling abroad.

It pledged to strengthen international law enforcement cooperation to dismantle telecom fraud networks, particularly in Myawaddy, Myanmar.

The ministry said it attaches great importance to the frequent occurrence of such cases recently and to the calls for help posted on social media and other channels by family members of the victims.

The statement said the ministry has asked police across the country to comprehensively analyze and investigate the cases, and it is working to rescue the victims with the assistance of foreign affairs departments and Chinese embassies and consulates overseas.

In July 2023, the ministry launched a special campaign during which the Chinese police and Myanmar's law enforcement departments worked together to crack down on telecom fraud dens in northern Myanmar that target Chinese nationals.

The campaign led to the capture of more than 53,000 Chinese citizens suspected of being involved in various scams and wiped out all major telecom fraud dens located near China's border with northern Myanmar. It also forced a large number of criminals to relocate to other regions in Myanmar such as Myawaddy, Wan Hai and Tangyan.

Some fraud dens are facing a "shortage of labor" due to the stringent crackdowns and mass awareness efforts, the ministry said, adding that these dens have started luring Chinese citizens with the promise of "free travel abroad" and "high-paying jobs".

Those who fall for these false promises are abducted or held captive and forced to participate in illegal activities, it said.

The ministry warned Chinese citizens of such fraudulent schemes and advised them to remain extra vigilant when receiving offers for high-paying jobs or business exchanges overseas and free visits for tourism.

It also advised the public to immediately call the police and contact China's diplomatic missions if a family member goes missing overseas, saying the police will act without delay upon receiving such a report.

The ministry's statement came amid public discussions on a recent human trafficking incident involving Chinese actor Wang Xing. He was rescued by Thai police on Jan 7 and returned to China on Jan 11, according to reports.