The 31-year-old Chinese actor Wang Xing, who drew international attention due to being a victim of human trafficking, recently returned home safely and spoke to Chinese media with his girlfriend Jiajia, revealing many details about the case.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Security in China also announced that Chinese and Thai police have jointly arrested 12 suspects involved in cross-border human trafficking, uncovering a criminal group based in Myawaddy, eastern Myanmar, specializing in this illegal activity. The investigation is ongoing.
Wang Xing disclosed that the main reason he fell into the trap was the casting call information posted by the scammers, which closely resembled genuine offers. Despite incomplete information and frequent last-minute changes, which are common in the acting industry, the scammers were very familiar with film production processes, which led him to let his guard down.
During his abduction, he had doubts, but the kidnappers convinced him that the itinerary was safe.
He mentioned that on the way from Thailand to Myanmar, he had to switch vehicles once. After the switch, he realized something was wrong, but the driver was driving too fast for him to consider escaping.
At that time, Jiajia in Shanghai sensed something was wrong with her boyfriend because he stopped chatting with her, and his messages became increasingly brief, which was a pre-arranged signal between them.
She knew he was in danger and "couldn't speak freely." She dared not ask too much, fearing the kidnappers would notice something was amiss.
After getting off the vehicle, Wang Xing was completely controlled; his phone, passport, and bank cards were taken, and he was sent to a scam center in Myawaddy to have his head shaved and then locked up to practice typing.
During this time, he was moved several times, his personal freedom severely restricted, and sold to three different companies within the park, not staying long at any of them. There, he suffered from poor sleep and diet and was even denied toilet access.
One day, he found a hair tie left by Jiajia in his luggage, realizing he might never see his family and girlfriend again, which caused him to break down emotionally.
When rescued, he was wearing this hair tie, which he considered his only light in the darkness.
Meanwhile, Jiajia was actively working to rescue her boyfriend. She compiled detailed documents, posted on Weibo, and the case quickly drew international attention. She even prepared documents in Chinese, English, and Thai, knowing that to report the incident abroad, it was crucial that the information was immediately understandable.
The Weibo post she wrote was extracted from those documents. She said that although she works in advertising and is used to writing copy, the ability to produce so many documents in such a short time was beyond her individual capacity and was driven by the power of love.
She posted on Weibo late on January 5, and the situation escalated quickly. By the morning of January 7, the scam center in Myawaddy decided to release Wang Xing proactively.
Wang Xing recalled that a few days later in Myawaddy, a high-ranking individual told him he would be "sent back." His initial reaction was disbelief, suspecting it was another deception.
It was planned to release Wang Xing on the afternoon of January 7, but due to the lack of suitable vehicles, it was postponed to the morning of January 8.
That day, after receiving his passport and phone, he started to believe there was a turn of events when he saw the car driving out of the park. He changed vehicles once more on the way to a Myanmar government agency, where no one spoke Chinese or English, and he had to wait silently.
The Thai authorities announced on January 7 that they had located Wang Xing in Myanmar and planned to bring him back to Thailand. According to Thai reports, local police rescued him through the efforts of a minority group in Myanmar, and he then processed the necessary paperwork at a government agency while waiting for rescue.
On the afternoon of January 8, Wang Xing returned to Thailand, flying back to Bangkok on a police plane.
He and Jiajia finally met on January 9 for just 10 minutes, unable to say much, only managing to encourage each other with a handshake. During this time, Wang Xing had to cooperate with the Thai police's investigation and questioning, which was recorded and broadcast on Thai television.
On January 10, Wang Xing was allowed to return to his country, meeting Jiajia and his brother at the airport. Thai officials escorted them to the airport, took a group photo, and watched them board the plane before leaving.
According to fellow passengers, Wang Xing and his girlfriend were very low-key due to the special circumstances, and upon arriving in Shanghai, they were among the first to disembark from the plane.
It was only on the plane that Wang Xing learned about the entire rescue process Jiajia had undertaken, deeply moved by her efforts. He knew everyone praised Jiajia for her meticulous thinking, clear-headedness, and decisive bravery... qualities that define her character and the traits that attracted him.
Jiajia mentioned that her boyfriend had experienced a severe ordeal in life. During the flight, he spoke very little, clearly still under stress. She then allowed him some quiet time alone.
Starting January 6, Jiajia and Wang Xing's brother arrived in Thailand to initiate the rescue. She acted discreetly, always keeping her cards close to her chest and not revealing too much information.
She understood that to save others, one must first ensure their own safety, always protecting herself and Wang Xing's brother. They stayed in a hotel near the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok, seldom going out except to visit the police station and embassy. They always moved together, ate nearby, and wore hats and masks whenever they went out, habitually sharing their location in a group chat to keep everyone updated.
She said Wang Xing was worth her efforts. The couple had been dating for three years, with Wang Xing providing emotional support in the relationship. He took care of cooking at home, learning many recipes specifically for his girlfriend.
She said the love Wang Xing gave her inspired tremendous courage in the face of crisis. Moving forward, Wang Xing will undergo psychological counseling, hoping to recover both mentally and physically and return to normal life as soon as possible.
