China and Thailand on Saturday issued a joint statement pledging to strengthen cooperation in cracking down on online scam operations, human and drug trafficking and money laundering.
Online scam operations have plagued many Southeast Asian countries, including Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand, becoming increasingly rampant in recent years. In these operations, people lured by false advertisements for high-paying jobs are trafficked into secretive compounds, where criminal groups force them to run online scams targeting victims worldwide, including in China.
Both sides stressed the urgency and necessity of enhancing cooperation to combat these transnational crimes. They agreed to further discussions to establish effective coordination mechanisms for tackling these crimes at an early stage and to promote judicial cooperation among Lancang-Mekong countries.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening military exchanges, joint training, defense industry collaboration, capacity building, and technology transfer to promote regional peace and stability.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of China-Thailand diplomatic ties. In their statement, both sides pledged to deepen cooperation in high-quality development, clean energy, the digital economy and green growth. They aim to boost bilateral trade by expanding market access, promoting high-quality products, and enhancing e-commerce collaboration.
Additionally, both sides emphasized the importance of connectivity in driving regional economic integration and shared development. They agreed to strengthen Belt and Road cooperation, including the China-Thailand railway project, to enhance regional connectivity.
Please click the following link to see the full text of the statement.