Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said recent incidents involving Chinese nationals going missing or disappearing in Cambodia have drawn China's close attention. These transnational crimes are a serious barrier to deeper cooperation between the two countries. Chen Zhi, founder of Prince Group, has been arrested and extradited to China.
China continues to pressure Cambodia to address cross-border fraud and human trafficking. In a Chinese foreign ministry statement on Saturday, Wang Wenbin said: “Recent incidents involving Chinese nationals going missing or disappearing in Cambodia have drawn China’s close attention.” He told Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn and Interior Minister Sar Sokha: “The frequent occurrence of such cases runs counter to the traditional friendship between China and Cambodia.”
These events highlight challenges posed by transnational crimes to bilateral ties. Chen Zhi, the Cambodian-Chinese founder and chairman of Prince Group, was sent back to China in a joint operation. He faces accusations of illegal activities, including opening a casino, fraud, illegal operations, and concealing criminal proceeds. The arrest followed months of cooperation between Chinese and Cambodian authorities and is part of broader regional efforts to dismantle scam operations.
Entities linked to Prince Group, such as Prince Bank, have been suspected of ties to online fraud. The case unfolded in Phnom Penh. Beijing aims to bolster regional security cooperation through such actions to reduce risks to Chinese nationals in Southeast Asia.
