China Increases APAC Collaboration to Fight Illegal Gambling Networks

China has announced plans to crack down on online gambling and telecom fraud through law enforcement collaboration with neighboring countries.

This comes in response to increased cross-border scams and fraud impacting both Chinese nationals and foreign citizens.

The new efforts were announced at a press briefing on Wednesday (February 5) where Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated the Chinese government is actively looking to cooperate with relevant countries, particularly in the APAC region.

A focus has been placed on tackling recent cross-border telecom fraud near the Thailand-Myanmar border.

This has sparked the decision to increase collaboration with neighboring countries and develop joint strategies to stamp out these criminal networks and protect Chinese nationals abroad.

China’s prioritization of fraud prevention follows a number of high-profile incidents, including the rescue of Chinese actor Wang Xing, who was abducted in Thailand and taken to Myanmar, having been tricked into thinking he was going for an acting opportunity.

Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of greater cooperation during a meeting in Beijing with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Thursday, February 6.

The Thai leader’s visit lasts until February 8 and marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the countries.

President Xi called for the two nations to expand collaboration and deepen mutual trust to combat rising global uncertainties. 

The two countries are working on several economic projects, but a key focus is on fighting online fraud to ensure the safety of citizens. 

China has developed strict regulations around online gambling in recent years as it seeks to diminish the financial and societal instability it can cause.

While Chinese nationals, such as Wang Xing, have been the victims of these illicit operations, there have also been several Chinese nationals implicated in fraudulent activities across the APAC region.

One example involved a Chinese criminal network running scam call centers in Cambodia and Myanmar. These networks often used job advertisements to lure victims to work at fraud centers where they were forced to conduct phone scams. This was frequently done through coercion, abuse, and human trafficking.

There were reports in 2022 of human trafficking at casinos in Cambodia, with individuals forced to work in brutal, exploitative conditions. Many of these casinos have links to Chinese citizens, increasing pressure on the new cross-border strategy being implemented this week.

Moreover, back in 2020, China used its influence in the region to take stricter action against online gambling rings targeting Chinese nationals. This led to Cambodia shutting down much of its online gambling industry.

China also introduced a blacklist system in 2020, designed to prevent its citizens from traveling to foreign countries known for illegal gambling schemes and fraud. 

As this is still a present threat, the government in Beijing hopes an increased focus on international cooperation will help dismantle these criminal networks.