Online gambling activities along China's borders face stern condemnation from Chinese authorities
China is taking a firm stance against illegal activities such as sports betting, casinos, and internet gambling, as well as telecommunication fraud, which it views as unlawful. This crackdown is in response to activities that have impacted Chinese nationals, both at home and abroad.
The Chinese government, led by Foreign Minister Wang Yi, has been urging its neighbours, including Thailand and Myanmar, to counteract these crimes. Wang Yi met with representatives of ten ASEAN countries in Beijing to discuss this issue, emphasizing the need for strong measures to combat Internet gambling and telecommunication fraud.
Thailand is currently in the process of legalizing casino resorts as a means to stem the tide of illegal gambling operations. However, the Chinese regime has been pursuing tougher measures against neighbours that it blames for these activities. This is due in part to well-documented instances of human trafficking tied to illegal gambling and telecommunications fraud, as well as cases like that of prominent Chinese actor Wang Xing.
Wang Xing was scammed by a criminal organization and forced to work in Thailand against his will. The case echoed across national and state media, highlighting the impact these illegal activities have on residents of the involved countries. In response, Thailand organized a wide-scale rescue operation to liberate Wang Xing from forced labor.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has acknowledged the need to counteract illegal gambling operators and crack down on such crimes. Similarly, China has shuttered the Philippine Offshore Gambling Operator sector due to alleged and proven crimes, prompted by China's insistence on the matter.
Myanmar is also being blamed for instances of abduction of at least five Hong Kong residents to work against their will in the country. China continues to urge both Thailand and Myanmar to take tougher measures against these activities, hoping to safeguard the lives and properties of people and prevent criminals from going unpunished.
