The long arm of China’s authorities in their worldwide pursuit of fugitives is also straining relations with the West
Bureau of Investigation has a web page called “The China Threat”. It is often updated with links to news about the bureau’s efforts to counter it. Top of the list is the’s investigation of a Chinese balloon that was shot down by an American fighter jet off the coast of South Carolina on February 4th. But if you look closely there are plenty of other startling areas of Chinese subterfuge and surveillance. Among the most surprising is China’s pursuit of fugitives beyond its borders.
Between April 2021 and July last year about 230,000 people suspected of transnational cyber and telecoms crimes were “educated and persuaded to return to China”, according to state media. In the first nine months of 2021secured the return of 54,000 people just from northern Myanmar, a notorious hotspot for cyber and telecoms crime.
In Donghai county on China’s eastern coast, the local police have offered leniency to suspects who return in the next few days from countries that are notorious as bases for scamming. They list Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. After March 1st anyone coming back from those countries will face “severe punishment”.