Xinhua News Agency:

In recent years, there have been frequent cases of telecom and internet fraud, which are deeply abhorred by the public. Many of these fraudsters hide abroad. What are the difficulties in cracking down on such crimes? And what targeted measures have the public security organs taken to address the matter? Thank you.

Sun Maoli:

Thank you for your questions. In recent years, with the rapid development of the information society, huge changes have taken place in the structure of crimes, with traditional crime declining and new types of cybercrimes represented by telecom and internet fraud flourishing. Cybercrime has grown rapidly in every country around the world. Especially in the context of the pandemic, the shift of public life and production from offline to online has accelerated, which has further increased such crimes. Telecom and internet fraud has become a global problem that is difficult to combat and govern. First, it is more difficult to combat transnational organized crime. Groups of fraudsters overseas are well organized, have clear division of work and are characterized by multi-industry support, industrialized distribution, collectivized operation and fine division of labor. Second, methods of fraud are quickly updated and changed. Fraud groups usually keep up with social hotspots and continuously update their criminal tools and fraud techniques through new technologies and new forms of business, including blockchain, metaverse, virtual currency, artificial intelligence (AI) and GSM over IP (GoIP), which has made such crimes more hidden and deceptive. Third, there are restrictions on cross-border crackdowns. Currently, 80% of crimes involving telecom and internet fraud originate overseas, but cracking down on them across borders has become more difficult during the pandemic. Fourth, more efforts are needed to control the sources of crime. Because of incomplete territorial responsibilities in some key areas, fraudsters cannot be controlled or persuaded to return. A large number of key personnel involved in fraud crimes are still hiding overseas. Fifth, international cooperation needs to be strengthened. Framework agreements for international police cooperation in combating such crimes need to be improved, as it is difficult to launch investigation procedures in a timely manner to conduct cross-border crackdowns or collect evidence.

In response, the MPS has earnestly implemented the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee, focused on special research, special teams, special investigations and professional equipment, and joined together both internal and external forces. Relying on the inter-departmental joint meeting mechanism of the State Council, we worked with the National Immigration Administration and other departments and actively overcame the impact of the epidemic. We have mainly worked on the following aspects: First is promoting international law enforcement cooperation by all means. China has sent several working groups to Southeast Asia, the Middle East and other overseas regions to conduct international law enforcement cooperation. Nearly 1,000 suspects have been repatriated from other countries, which has formed a powerful deterrent to overseas fraud groups. Second is combating cross-border crime based on domestic efforts through multiple measures. We have repeatedly launched campaigns against crimes involving telecom and internet fraud. Bank card traffickers were cracked down on, which squeezed the space for criminals to operate. Domestic and foreign criminal gangs were investigated and punished, cutting off smuggling channels. Key leaders and targets of criminal gangs both domestically and overseas were pursued and arrested. Third is intensifying source control. Relying on the inter-departmental joint meeting mechanism of the State Council, the responsibilities of local Party committees and local governments at all levels have been strengthened. We stressed persistent efforts not only in intercepting and dissuading but also in education and persuasion, so as to reduce the number of fraudsters committing crimes abroad and squeeze the operating space of fraudsters overseas as much as possible.

That's all from me. 

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