Is it really the cradle of telecommunications fraud?, What exactly does the real northern Myanmar look like

"Dr. from the Chinese Academy of Sciences was scammed to Myanmar for a year and forced to work 18 hours a day."

"The witness from northern Myanmar recounted: 'When he pulled out his gun, I was really desperate.'"

"Five consecutive fireworks, that's a successful order of 500000 yuan."

……

Northern Myanmar, a non-traditional hotspot, has frequently become the focus of China's Internet in recent years. The true and false legends have made this place a terrifying presence. Especially with the hot release of the movie "All for One", the detestable face of the fraudster "Buddha's mouth and snake's heart" has created a deep sense of empathy, further elevating the terrifying color of northern Myanmar.

Data shows that in 2019, the number of foreign tourists in Myanmar reached 4.36 million, while in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, Myanmar only received nearly 370000 foreign tourists, a decrease of over 90%. Myanmar's Minister of Commerce, Aung Nai wu, recently responded that the media exaggerated the facts in their reports and there was a large amount of false information. Some employees of Chinese companies in Myanmar have also expressed that they should not demonize Myanmar.

So, what exactly does the real northern Myanmar look like? Is this really the cradle of telecommunications fraud?

To understand the real northern Myanmar, one must first understand its unique geographical environment and historical background.

Geographically speaking, the northern region of Myanmar is characterized by high mountains and dense forests, rugged terrain, and complex ethnic composition. Due to its inherent conditions, it has always been a region where various forces are intertwined.

Myanmar is further divided into two units: "Upper Myanmar" and "Lower Myanmar", which leads to significant differences in ethnic structure, production methods, cultural characteristics, and other aspects between the two sides. Since modern times, British colonial rulers have adopted different governance policies towards upper and lower Burma, as well as a "foreign domination" approach, which has further exacerbated this estrangement.

In 1948, Myanmar gained independence, but the cracks in history did not heal automatically. Armed conflicts have erupted between the central government of Myanmar and ethnic minority armed groups due to differences in demands for national construction and conflicts arising from the allocation of power resources, which have persisted to this day.

During this process, in order to support armed survival activities, many ethnic and local armed groups used illegal industries such as drugs, jade, and wood smuggling as economic sources. In order to combat ethnic local armed forces, the government army supports the formation of various militia groups and allows them to engage in illegal economic activities. In this way, the underground economy in northern Myanmar is not thriving.

In 1988, the new military government of Myanmar came to power and began promoting the domestic peace process. In the following years, 17 civilian militias signed ceasefire agreements with the federal government, but this was still not enough to completely change the fragmented social order in northern Myanmar. After a series of struggles, the Myanmar government allowed some civilian land in northern Myanmar to be "self managed" and "highly autonomous" within its jurisdiction.

If a chaotic political ecosystem has laid the foundation for the growth of the black and gray industry in northern Myanmar, then the development of technology has "spurred" its transformation.

After years of heavy blows, the once rampant drug smuggling in northern Myanmar has come to an end, and some civilian and military districts have begun to seek alternative sources of wealth. Online gambling has become a major option.

In 2019, Myanmar introduced a new Gambling Law, allowing foreigners to legally register and operate casinos in Myanmar, further accelerating the development of online gambling in northern Myanmar. Coinciding with the rapid development of global mobile communication technology, Internet technology began to integrate with the deformed economic model in northern Myanmar, promoting the gradual change of economic structure in northern Myanmar.

From a practical perspective, there is a gap in the specific level of law enforcement and significant differences in legal and social systems between China and Myanmar, which invisibly creates space for criminal groups to carry out cross-border criminal activities.

On the one hand, some P2P platforms and telecommunications fraud groups in China are gradually spreading to northern Myanmar and forming a community of interests through collusion with local forces. On the other hand, in the context of joint law enforcement actions between China and Southeast Asian countries, telecommunications network criminal groups from countries such as the Philippines and Cambodia are showing a trend of shifting to Myanmar.

In this way, northern Myanmar and eastern Myanmar, such as Myawathi, have become the hardest hit areas for telecommunications network fraud in Southeast Asia and even globally. According to statistics, there are over a hundred fraud parks in Myeongwadi on the Myanmar Thailand border alone, along with fraud groups located in some parts of northern Myanmar. In total, there are at least 1000 parks, with over 100000 people committing telecommunications fraud every day.

In the eyes of many criminals in northern Myanmar, compared to drug trafficking, espionage online gambling has "lower risks and higher profits". The economic development of Wa State, Kokang and other areas has begun to form a dependence on the online gambling and fraud industry. Taking Wa State as an example, there has even been a situation in Mengneng County where school teaching buildings are rented out to electricity fraud companies.

Faced with rampant telecommunications fraud, we certainly cannot sit idly by and wait to be deceived. Faced with fellow prisoners, the national level will not sit idly by.

In China, putting the people first is the most basic value foundation, and safeguarding national security is a must answer question of "although it is difficult, it must be done". For compatriots who have a need to return to their home country, no matter where they are or how difficult it is, our motherland always cares and cares for them, and we will do everything we can to provide help.

In fact, many people have not seen reality beyond the eye-catching rumors.

In 2021, the Ministry of Public Security of China, together with the National Immigration Administration, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the People's Bank of China, and the three major telecommunications operators, carried out a concentrated special rectification campaign, carrying out special actions such as "cutting off traffic", "cutting off cards", and "the Great Wall", requiring Chinese online gambling fraudsters from northern Myanmar to return to their home countries within a specified period of time, which has had a certain effect. In that year alone, 18000 people were intercepted for illegal immigration to northern Myanmar, and 54000 people were educated and advised to return to fraudulent dens in northern Myanmar.

From April 2021 to July 2022, a total of 594000 cases of telecommunications network fraud were cracked nationwide. The continuous upward trend of telecommunications network fraud in recent years has been effectively curbed. As of May this year, the number of telecommunications network fraud cases has decreased year-on-year for 17 consecutive months.

Since the beginning of this year, the political and legal system has repeatedly focused on cracking down on new types of illegal and criminal activities in the telecommunications network through meetings, research, and other means, clearly sending a clear signal of "using heavy punches, heavy hands, and heavy examples", quickly sparking a new wave of crackdown on telecommunications network fraud crimes.

From a common sense perspective, cross-border law enforcement is not an easy task. We must fully respect the sovereignty of any country and obtain authorization for everything. So, as some people imagine, it is almost impossible to directly send military and police to unilaterally arrest people.

In this sense, it is imperative to enhance the depth and level of international law enforcement cooperation mechanisms. At present, the Chinese side has maintained close communication with Myanmar and has conducted special coordination on the joint efforts of China and Myanmar to combat criminal activities such as electricity fraud and online gambling within Myanmar. In August, China, Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos launched a joint action to combat gambling fraud and decided to establish a comprehensive coordination center for a special action in Chiang Mai, Thailand, marking a new stage of international cooperation in combating online gambling and fraud.

Of course, compared to making up for lost sheep, we are more eager to take preventive measures. This requires strengthening source control.

As in the movie "All for One", the police officer said to the victim's family, "We have already posted anti fraud propaganda on eggs, but we still cannot avoid so many people being deceived. Why is this happening?"?

People have two hearts, one is greed and the other is unwillingness. The reason why online fraud can succeed repeatedly is often due to people's greed, luck, and self deception. In fact, among the criminals who illegally migrate to northern Myanmar to engage in telecommunications network crimes, there are many volunteers. Some people are limited by their educational and cultural level, and have not established correct values, fantasizing about "overnight wealth". This is the internal cause that triggers the problem of telecommunications network crime.

In view of this, relevant departments have clearly requested party committees and governments in various regions to implement their main responsibilities and strengthen comprehensive governance. In areas where fraud criminals are concentrated, efforts should be made to promote socialist core values, optimize industrial layout, broaden employment channels, guide hard work to become rich, and so on.

It can be said that in order to crack down on telecommunications network fraud crimes, the relevant departments have really broken their hearts and worn their mouths, and it can be said that they are not working hard. As netizens have said, under the current government's propaganda efforts, if you are still deceived, it may be more or less your own problem.

Strengthening anti fraud awareness, abandoning the mentality of luck, and persisting in striving for dreams are actually the best "talismans".

We hope that all victims will return safely, but there is no need to be emotional. There are still irrational voices mixed in the heated discussions surrounding the electricity fraud in northern Myanmar. Some self media outlets have taken advantage of the situation to spread irrational demonizing remarks about Myanmar and Southeast Asia, and some even ridicule university freshmen admitted to Burmese language majors, which is clearly beyond the boundaries.

Telecom fraud is our common enemy, and the relevant departments have launched a heavy attack. But anti fraud cannot rely solely on "putting all your eggs in one basket". Everyone should realize that there will be no pie falling from the sky. When facing such and such wealth myths, it is still important to remember to say "wake up" to oneself. As onlookers, one should also have the ability to distinguish right from wrong and not create panic blindly.

Recently, new progress has been made in the matter of Dr. Chinese Academy of Sciences trapped in Myanmar. On the early morning of August 26th, the WeChat official account of the Chinese Embassy in Thailand released a situation report stating that on the evening of August 24th, Thai police successfully found Zhang. The Chinese Embassy in Thailand and the Consulate General in Chiang Mai are closely coordinating with the Thai police to arrange for him to return to China as soon as possible.

The word "go home" promises a thousand gold, and the thorns are long and arduous on the way back. For compatriots who have a need to return to their home country, no matter where they are or how difficult it is, our motherland always cares and cares for them, and we will do our best to provide assistance. I hope that more and more good news like this can come, and I also call on all parties to adopt a rational and pragmatic attitude in order to better safeguard justice and peace.