Joint efforts to fight wire fraud discussed

A delegation from Taiwan has arrived in Beijing to discuss a recent cross-Straits telecommunication fraud case that led to 45 Taiwan residents being deported to the Chinese mainland from Kenya, the Ministry of Public Security said on Wednesday.

Led by Chen Wen-chi, an official from Taiwan for cross-Straits legal affairs, the 10-person delegation will discuss with the ministry joint efforts to combat wire fraud. The discussion is based on an agreement signed in 2009 by both sides of the Straits for a joint effort to fight crime and for mutual legal assistance.

Chen said in a statement on Wednesday that she hoped that both sides can "investigate together,... and cooperate with each other". She also said she hoped a procedure could be developed for cross-Straits handling of such cases in the future.

Regarding the 45 suspects from Taiwan, Chen said: "We need to make sure they have protection of legal rights during the investigation. This is the major task of our visit."

Seventy-seven Chinese, including the 45 Taiwan residents, were repatriated to China from Africa on April 13 and are being investigated for suspected telecommunication fraud.

In the Kenya fraud cases, all the victims were from the Chinese mainland, so the mainland has jurisdiction in the case, said Ni Yongjie, deputy director of the Shanghai Institute of Taiwan Studies.

Wire fraud criminals from Taiwan have obtained more than 10 billion yuan ($1.55 billion) annually from the Chinese mainland, despite repeated crackdowns launched by both sides of the Straits. Only 200,000 yuan has been recovered, according to the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

When Taiwan suspects have been handled by the island, many were not punished, and money obtained through fraud was not paid back to victims on the mainland, the ministry added.

pengyining@chinadaily.com.cn