Myanmar authorities have arrested and deported more than 40,000 telecom fraud suspects to China since the country’s law enforcement officers launched a crackdown on online scams in September this year. Information gathered from pertinent organizations shows that these Chinese nationals were taken into custody and then deported from the northern Shan state of Myanmar over the course of three months, from early September to mid-December.
The data was gathered by Radio Free Asia from statements given by the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, the ruling military junta, and ethnic Wa and Kokang leaders in northern Shan state.
In addition to being a centre for the trafficking of crystal methamphetamine, the northern Shan State in Myanmar is also home to numerous other illicit operations in outposts along the Chinese border. These activities are fueled by the continuous military conflict and civil turmoil under the junta that took control of the state in a coup in 2021. Being surrounded by China, the northern Shan state has developed into a hub for Chinese scammers preying on their own people.
A statement made in mid-December by the State Administration Council, the official name of the military junta ruling Myanmar, stated that between October 31 and December 15, around 12,050 Chinese nationals connected to online scam groups in the area were arrested and deported.
The Kokang region, where the majority of the population is ethnic Chinese and has supported resistance to the junta, was home to the majority of the Chinese nationals who were deported back.
Other Chinese nationals implicated in the illegal activity have also been arrested in areas under the authority of the United Wa State Army (USWA), purportedly the biggest ethnic armed group in Myanmar. On September 6-7, USWA forces apprehended over a thousand Chinese nationals who were part of the gangs and promptly handed them over to Chinese police on the other side of the border.
On November 21, the Ministry of Public Security in China declared that it had captured around 31,000 Chinese nationals who were associated with cybercrime groups in the northern region of Myanmar. Ringleaders, recruiters, and more than 1,500 Chinese fugitives were among those detained.
In all, the numbers indicate that between early September and mid-December, more than 40,000 Chinese people were detained and deported in connection to the online scam operations.
Meanwhile, speaking about the matter, several political experts believe that China and Myanmar share the blame for permitting Chinese citizens to enter Myanmar illegally and for the rapid formation of online scam rings.
Hla Kyaw Zaw, a China-based political observer was quoted as saying, “Everyone is responsible. It is likely that China and its policies are unable to control its borders very well. There are illegal crossings in some points.”
“There’s no need to say anything about Myanmar [because] there is no rule of law,” she added. “If you have money, [you’re allowed to do anything]. That’s why [Chinese are] entering.”
Since Myanmar’s instability has an impact on places outside of its boundaries, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated during the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Forum on December 8 that China would work with Mekong River nations to combat online scams.
Residents have, however, frequently told RFA that despite the ongoing arrests of online scammers in northern Shan state, there is still an uncontrollable growth in online scam operations headed by Chinese nationals in Shwe Kokko, a town in southeastern Myanmar’s Kayin state under the control of an ethnic armed group, and in Tachileik, Shan state, which is bordered by Thailand and Myanmar.
China supplying funds, missiles and other sophisticated weaponry to terrorist group Arakan Army to weaken India and Myanmar
In 2020, news reports published in Myanmar accused China of supplying sophisticated arms to the Arakan Army armed group, a declared terrorist organisation in Myanmar, and other armed groups in Myanmar to have an upper hand over India and Myanmar.
According to military sources in Myanmar, approximately 95 per cent of Arakan Army funding comes from China. It further confirmed that the Arakan Army has approximately 50 MANPADS (Man-Portable Air Defense Systems) surface-to-air missiles.
The source revealed that by doing so, China wants to expand its area of influence towards western Myanmar that is, the India-Myanmar border.
The extent of China’s influence on the Arakan Army armed group was apparent when under China’s influence, the terrorist organisation sabotaged India’s $220 million road construction project in Myanmar in 2017-18.
The project was awarded to the Delhi-based contractor, C&C Constructions in June 2017. The clearance of the project was subsequently delayed by the Myanmar government until 2018. Eventually. when the project took off, the Arakan Army began to kidnap workers and crew members including Indian citizens, and sabotaged vehicles and construction materials.
Arakan Army, which is aided by China, is the largest terrorist group in Myanmar
Arakan Army is the largest terrorist group in the Rakhine state of Myanmar and is the armed wing of the political party, United League of Arakan (ULA).
On March 23, the Myanmar government designated the Arakan Army and ULA as terrorist organisations for “inciting fear” and disrupting the stability of the country by attacking government and civilian targets.
In 2019, the group allegedly attacked four police stations, causing 20 casualties among police. Some of the police died from their wounds.
China did not condemn the attack but instead said: “China supports all parties in Myanmar to promote reconciliation and peace talks and strongly opposes any form of violent attacks”.
