China-led international alliance against telecom, cyber fraud formed

An international alliance aimed at countering cross-border telecom and cyber fraud was established on Thursday.

Representatives from 46 founding countries, 34 observer countries and four international organizations, including the United Nations and Interpol, attended the inaugural conference in Lianyungang, east China's Jiangsu Province.

Initiated by the Chinese government, this alliance is an intergovernmental organization designed to promote cooperation among law enforcement agencies in tackling transnational telecom and cyber fraud and related crimes.

Representatives from China and other founding members, such as Vietnam, Laos, Kenya, Cambodia, Pakistan and Russia, addressed the conference, while a representative from Interpol delivered a congratulatory message.

Participants welcomed China's initiative to establish the International Alliance Combating Telecom and Cyber Fraud and recognized its significance in safeguarding global public security.

Participants issued a joint statement on the alliance's establishment, saying telecom and cyber fraud has become a global challenge requiring stronger international cooperation.

According to the statement, establishing a more focused, professional, efficient and action-oriented intergovernmental organization based on international conventions will help coordinate efforts to combat telecom and cyber fraud and related crimes, and protect the security and legitimate rights and interests of individuals, legal entities and other organizations.

The alliance was formed amid growing global concerns over cyber-enabled fraud.

A report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimated that such fraud had caused losses of between $18 billion and $37 billion in Southeast Asia alone in 2023, with many schemes linked to organized criminal groups operating across borders.

China has in recent years strengthened law enforcement cooperation with over 30 countries, including Spain, the United Arab Emirates and Myanmar, to tackle cross-border telecom and cyber fraud, developing cooperation mechanisms and achieving results in joint efforts against these crimes.

Since 2023, China and Myanmar have carried out joint operations that led to the dismantling of four major criminal gangs in Myanmar's Kokang region.

Earlier this year, police authorities from China, the United States and the United Arab Emirates conducted their first joint law enforcement operation, resulting in the arrest of 276 suspects.

Cooperation with Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and other countries has also led to the arrest and repatriation of more than 20,000 telecom and online fraud suspects this year.