China is closely monitoring the recent arrests by Sri Lankan police, including several foreign nationals suspected of online fraud, among them Chinese citizens. The Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka has expressed full support for the Sri Lankan law enforcement agencies in their resolute action against the suspects, while also ensuring their legal rights are protected according to the law.
The report states that these cases not only threaten the financial security of the people of both countries but also severely damage China's image and affect the traditional friendly relations between the two nations.
China's issues with telecommunications and online fraud began in the 1990s and have since spread, affecting a large number of citizens. The Chinese government continues to explore ways to combat these crimes with a people-centered approach, making unprecedented efforts to advance various initiatives and achieving historic successes. The number of cases solved in 2021 was five times that of five years earlier, and since June 2021, the incidence of telecommunications and online fraud has been decreasing for 17 consecutive months, showing effective containment of the frequent occurrence of such cases.
The embassy noted that in today's world, telecommunications and online fraud crimes are rapidly developing and spreading internationally, becoming a global issue. In recent years, China has engaged in highly effective cooperation with several countries, including Myanmar, Cambodia, and the UAE, in combating such crimes, dismantling numerous criminal gangs and achieving significant results. However, some criminal gangs have since moved to countries in Southeast Asia. Due to Sri Lanka's advantages in telecommunications infrastructure, geographical location, and friendly relations with China, combined with the public's lack of awareness about online fraud prevention, some online fraud gangs have moved to Sri Lanka and continue to engage in fraudulent activities targeting citizens inside and outside China. This is also one of the main reasons for the recent surge in telecommunications fraud cases in Sri Lanka.
The embassy added that the Chinese government places high importance on this issue and actively promotes law enforcement cooperation between China and Sri Lanka in combating online fraud.
To effectively combat telecommunications fraud and create a strong deterrent, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security sent a task force in September to work with the Sri Lankan police on a special operation, arresting a large number of suspects. The repatriation and other related processes are progressing steadily. Cooperation is ongoing.
