"China is highly concerned about the recent disappearances of its citizens in Cambodia," the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia announced on 17/1, sharing remarks Ambassador Wang Wenbin made to Cambodian government officials last week.
Wang stated that serious incidents involving Chinese citizens in Cambodia often link directly to online scam operations. He noted that such activities "do not align with the traditional friendship between the two countries and pose a serious obstacle to deepening mutually beneficial cooperation."
During meetings with Cambodian Interior Minister Sar Sokha and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, Wang also raised concerns about the trend of Chinese citizens losing contact or going missing in Cambodia, linking these incidents to local scam centers.
Beijing has urged Phnom Penh to take practical action against the detention and abuse of Chinese citizens at scam hubs and to improve rescue efficiency.
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Individuals arrested during an online scam raid in Phnom Penh on 16/1. *Khmer Times*
On 6/1, Cambodia arrested tycoon Chen Zhi, founder of Prince Group, and extradited him to China at Beijing's request. Chen Zhi and Prince Group face accusations from the US, UK, and several other countries of orchestrating a global scam network.
Cambodia further arrested casino magnate Ly Kuong, 49, on 16/1, facing charges of organizing scams, money laundering, and forced labor.
Lieutenant General Chea Pov, deputy director general of the Cambodian National Police, stated on 18/1 that the country conducted numerous searches in the first 17 days of this year, arresting around 300 foreign suspects linked to online scamming.
A report from the Cambodian Anti-Online Scam Committee indicates that Chinese nationals comprise the largest proportion of those arrested, followed by citizens from South Korea, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
According to General Pov, Cambodian authorities are collaborating with various nations, especially Chinese police, to crack down on scam rings. In the last six months of 2025, law enforcement dismantled 118 scam centers across 18 provinces and cities, arresting nearly 5,000 suspects from 23 countries.
United Nations data reveals that at least 100,000 people work in scam centers in Cambodia. These scam networks initially targeted Chinese-speaking communities in various countries, then evolved and expanded operations to multiple other languages, reaping tens of billions of USD annually worldwide.
Participants in these networks are sometimes professional scammers working voluntarily, but many cases involve foreign nationals lured, detained, and forced into labor.
By Thanh Danh (Source: *Khaosod, Khmer Times, AFP*)
