China and the Philippines recently collaborated once again to repatriate over 160 Chinese citizens involved in offshore gambling in the Philippines, as announced by the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines.

This collaboration underscores the deepening international law enforcement cooperation between the two countries, signaling their strong resolve to combat hidden crimes such as fraud and kidnapping within the offshore gambling industry.

Chinese law strictly prohibits all forms of gambling, including online gambling, operating casinos overseas, and soliciting Chinese citizens to gamble. The Chinese government maintains a firm stance on enforcing a complete ban on gambling.

The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines pledges to further enhance practical law enforcement cooperation with the Philippines, aiming to swiftly address issues related to the offshore gambling industry.

Additionally, on February 22, over 40 Chinese nationals engaged in offshore gambling in the Philippines were repatriated, marking a follow-up to a similar repatriation effort in December.

Since 2023, multiple joint law enforcement operations led by the Philippine Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission have resulted in the arrest of numerous suspects involved in illegal offshore gambling activities. At the request of the Philippine authorities and with active assistance from the Chinese Embassy, successive repatriations have been carried out.

Furthermore, China and Southeast Asian countries have pledged to protect the public from gambling fraud and related crimes through joint special operations, particularly in response to the rising occurrence of telecom fraud cases related to false investment and financial management.

In a concerted effort to combat cross-border telecom fraud, police forces from China, Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos have launched a special joint operation targeting telecommunications fraud and online gambling crimes, according to media reports.