Cambodian police arrests telecom fraud suspects, sends 180 Taiwanese to China for trial

Recently, Cambodia cracked down on a telecommunications fraud operation, arresting a total of 190 suspects, including 10 Chinese suspects and 180 Taiwanese suspects. All suspects, regardless of nationality, were sent to China for trial. On the 13th and 14th, all Taiwanese suspects were deported to China for detention and trial. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed a stern protest and claimed it would continue to communicate with the Cambodian government through multiple channels, hoping China would return the suspects to Taiwan for judicial proceedings. While this is a matter of national dignity, many netizens are inclined to not want the Taiwanese fraud suspects to be extradited back to Taiwan. Besides "loudly protesting," what else can the Ministry of Foreign Affairs do?

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Protests to China Based on Nationality Jurisdiction Principle

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that its Ho Chi Minh City office received information on April 1st and believed China should return the suspects to Taiwan for judicial proceedings based on the "nationality jurisdiction principle". Reportedly, due to China's pressure, the Cambodian government did not provide the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with specific details of Taiwanese suspects. The Ministry raised the "Cross-Strait Joint Crime Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance Agreement" to request China return the suspects to the Taiwanese government. Currently, there has been no official response from China, or perhaps China simply chooses to ignore the request?

In 2021, Many Taiwanese Became 'Pigs' in Cambodia's Fraud Zones

In 2021, China began strongly cracking down on telecommunications and online gambling fraud, issuing warnings with deadlines for suspects. Those involved in fraud who did not voluntarily return to China within the specified time would have their bank accounts and household registrations canceled. Under the "Mass Persuasion to Return" policy, many Chinese chose to voluntarily return. Gradually, criminal fraud groups began recruiting Taiwanese who could speak Chinese. Many Taiwanese were sold and became "pigs" (hostages) forced to conduct telecommunications fraud, facing beatings if they refused. (News source: Public Television Service)

Cambodia Releases Pro-China Statement, Adheres to One-China Policy

According to a report by Liberty Times, Cambodia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs today issued a statement saying the repatriation measures were based on current Cambodian legal procedures, executed under bilateral extradition treaties and security cooperation frameworks with China, aimed at jointly combating transnational crime. Cambodia firmly adheres to the "One-China" policy. According to Chinese law, fraud crimes can be punished with life imprisonment or even the death penalty.

Netizens Overwhelmingly Hope Suspects Are Not Sent Back

As Taiwan and Cambodia have no diplomatic relations, and Cambodia, like Myanmar and Thailand, has a clear pro-China stance, Taiwanese victims previously had to negotiate ransoms through "underground channels" to rescue those forced into fraud zones. Many Taiwanese even voluntarily entered the fraud industry. Regardless of voluntariness, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has few cases it can handle. Hearing the Ministry now taking a "tough" stance seems almost laughable. Can demanding the release of suspects after they've been imprisoned in Chinese jails be effective?

Isn't China's "governance" of Taiwanese criminals another form of cross-strait unification? Taiwanese people hate fraud, and after the news broke, regardless of political ideology, netizens almost unanimously commented that the suspects should stay in China and not be sent back. They believe Taiwan's courts give light sentences to fraud criminals, while China's are harsher, and they don't want these fraudsters returning to continue harming people.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs can do many things now. Besides loud protests, why not quickly investigate these Taiwanese fraud suspects' names and entry/exit records? Perhaps these people already have Chinese identity cards, and requesting their return might bring back a large group of "Chinese" people. The Ministry of Justice should also take action. Just because the suspects are not imprisoned in Taiwan doesn't mean their fraud suspicions are cleared. Why not first investigate their criminal facts before requesting their return from China?