High time to jointly combat telecom frauds

Chinese actor Wang Xing has become a protagonist in a dramatic incident of human trafficking, which, unfortunately, is not a movie.

Wang, who has appeared in supporting roles in several films and TV series, including Ip Man 3 and Under the Skin 2, reportedly received a casting invitation from a Thailand-based film crew in late December.

On Sunday, his girlfriend reached out on social media for assistance after he went missing on Jan 3 near the Thai-Myanmar border. He reportedly fell prey to a telecom scam group. Thankfully, Thai police rescued the actor on Tuesday, and Wang is expected to return to China soon.

Wang's case is particularly striking as this time an actor became a victim of human trafficking. According to reports, families of 174 other persons who are trapped in Myanmar are calling for collaborative rescue efforts.

Undoubtedly, Chinese law enforcement agencies, along with their counterparts in neighboring countries, have made significant strides in combating telecom frauds. Between September 2023 and November 2024, over 53,000 Chinese suspects involved in such frauds have been apprehended, and the telecommunications fraud hubs near the Chinese border in northern Myanmar have largely been dismantled.

Nevertheless, such crimes, if left unchecked, could undermine the confidence of Chinese tourists in neighboring countries. It is imperative for China, Thailand, Myanmar, and other neighboring countries to bolster their cooperation in combating such incidents.

Earlier on Thursday, Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra emphasized the need for Thailand to enhance relevant laws and regulations to crack down on related criminal activities following the Wang Xing incident.

Telecom fraud has long plagued Southeast Asia, posing a threat not only to the safety of Chinese citizens but also to local residents. In recent years, Chinese police have collaborated with their counterparts in Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and other nations in numerous operations to combat telecom fraud. Yet, telecom fraud syndicates persist and are causing harm to all the involved parties.

In December an informal foreign ministers' meeting was convened in Thailand involving Myanmar and its neighbors — Thailand, Laos, China, India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. The meeting specifically addressed border security and transnational crime issues such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, and online scams, with the goal of finding collective solutions.

Further actions are imperative. China must urgently enhance cooperation with its Southeast Asian neighbors and implement more effective measures to combat telecom fraud and its associated criminal networks. Additionally, when traveling abroad, vigilance is crucial to guard against telecom fraud.

Zhu Zhengming is a senior research fellow at the Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences. This article is based on his interview with China Daily's Zhang Xi. The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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