Rescuing trapped doctors in Myanmar, Chinese Academy of Sciences Transfer | Zhang Shi | Chinese Academy of Sciences

Pengpai News Reporter Ming Que Intern Guo Sihang Shen Yonger

After the failed ransom transfer of 120000 yuan, it was difficult for family members to contact Zhang Shi. They are eager to know how he is now, trapped in Myawathi, Myanmar?

In 2022, Zhang Shi, who is conducting scientific research at a botanical garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, decided to go abroad. My girlfriend Yang Yang recalled that at that time, her boyfriend was in debt due to currency speculation and wanted to work as a translator in Southeast Asia to earn money and repay the debt before getting married.

Arrived in Bangkok from Xiamen via Hong Kong, then transferred to the Mekong River on the Thai Myanmar border and took a car to Myanmar. When Zhang Shi realized something was wrong, he had already lost his freedom.

Miaowadi Town. Data chart

Over the past year, his family has received news from him one after another, all reporting his safety. Until the end of May this year, he sent another message asking his family to raise a ransom.

Sister Zhang Hong remembers that during that time, her younger brother's phone calls were very frequent. He said that he was sold to his current company and was asked to compensate for the losses because he did not achieve good results.

On the phone, Zhang Shi said that he was monitored working for 18 hours every day, and his escape was endless. He hoped his family could rescue him.

Zhang Shi comes from a rural area in Shandong, and his economic conditions are not comfortable. His family and girlfriend barely scraped together the ransom. During the transfer process, his account was frozen. They have reported the case to the police and are currently waiting for further information.

Trapped

When Zhang Shi learned that he was going abroad, his girlfriend Yang Yang was somewhat surprised.

Zhang Shi was admitted to Jilin University from a rural area, and went from pursuing a master's degree at the Chinese Academy of Sciences to pursuing a doctoral degree, then studying abroad in the Netherlands, and finally doing scientific research. This road is not easy to walk, and it seems reasonable.

In Yang Yang's eyes, Zhang Shi enjoys doing research and is also very independent in his work. I just have an introverted personality and rarely socialize with friends.

They work separately in two places, but due to the pandemic, they haven't seen each other for nearly a year. Yang Yang persuaded his boyfriend to stay in China. But Zhang Shi said that when he goes to Southeast Asia to do translation, the salary is high, with a base salary of 15000 yuan. If he does it well, there will be 40000 to 50000 yuan per month, and he will come back after going out for one or two years.

Yang Yang remembers that Zhang Shi had been in contact with an intermediary for several months, repeatedly researching and verifying before finally deciding to work abroad. But later it was discovered that the agent had deceived them.

Before going abroad, Zhang Shi was busy applying for a passport and visa and stayed in his hometown for half a month. Zhang Hong recalled that her younger brother told her that he was going to teach at a university in Thailand and asked her not to worry.

Zhang Hong said that she didn't quite understand, so she didn't ask him too much at that time.

On August 12th last year, Zhang Shi departed for the country and traveled to several cities including Hong Kong and Bangkok. Yang Yang remembers that one night Zhang Shi was sleeping at the airport. She chatted on WeChat and said, "It's so sad, leaving her hometown." Her boyfriend replied, "What's so sad about this?".

On August 14th, Zhang Shi went from Bangkok to Mekong, a small town on the Thai Myanmar border, facing Myanmar across the Mekong River. On the 16th, Zhang Shi took a car from Meisuo to Miaowadi, Myanmar. Yang Yang said that she received a message from Zhang Shi that she didn't want to go to Myanmar because it was not safe there, but he had lost his personal freedom.

Public information shows that Miaowadi, located in eastern Myanmar, is controlled by local armed groups and has become a stronghold of online fraud. In recent years, the Chinese police have increased their efforts to crack down on cross-border illegal crimes, and telecommunications fraud dens have been transferred from the Golden Triangle, northern Myanmar, and other areas to Miaowadi.

In May of this year, the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar announced that several Chinese citizens were lured into illegally immigrating to the Myawady region of Myanmar under the pretext of "high salary employment" and were required to engage in telecommunications fraud. After receiving a request for help, the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar coordinated with the Burmese police to carry out rescue operations and successfully rescued trapped individuals.

It is reported that the Chinese side is carrying out joint law enforcement actions with Myanmar and other parties to crack down on illegal gangs in accordance with the law.

News from the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar.

Yang Yang remembers that on the first day Zhang Shi arrived at Miaowadi, he told her that he couldn't use his phone after entering the park. Later, he found an intermediary and asked his girlfriend to add him to WeChat, so that he could contact that person if he needed anything.

In WeChat, Zhang Shi also told her that he had just arrived and needed to familiarize himself with the environment, attend training classes, and not bring his phone.

A few days later, Zhang Shi was arranged to be on duty. He contacted Yang Yang and said that he couldn't leave temporarily. Someone was standing guard at the door with a gun. He must sign a one-year contract with the other party before he can be released.

Yang Yang recalled that Zhang Shi used the intermediary's phone to contact her. He said that there is a closed management system there, and apart from stricter management, there are no safety issues. But Yang Yang recalled, "Someone should be monitoring him at any time."

Afterwards, Zhang Shi basically contacted his girlfriend or family through Skype or phone every week.

Zhang Hong said that he would ask about the situation at home and the physical condition of his parents on the phone. He told Zhang Hong that he works and lives well outside. At that time, Zhang Hong always thought he was working in Thailand.

But Zhang Shi told his girlfriend that he was forced to play a certain character and chat with foreigners to commit fraud. Yang Yang said that she is very worried about her boyfriend, but she is not sure about his situation. She can only hope that the contract will expire in one year and he will come back early.

brother

From childhood to adulthood, Zhang Shi has always been the pride of his family due to his good grades.

He was born in 1989, more than ten years younger than his brother and sister. Sister Zhang Hong said that the family has a heavy burden. Her parents are getting older, her mother is paralyzed in bed, and her brothers and sisters have never attended college. Zhang Shi has never wanted the family to worry.

Brother Zhang Hao recalled that his younger brother often received scholarships after going to college, and even later went abroad to study, he didn't spend much of his family's money. In January 2017, Zhang Shi applied for a one-year public scholarship opportunity from the China Scholarship Council.

From January 2019 to January 2021, Zhang Shi worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Science and Technology of China. Junior sister Huang Jia remembers that Zhang Shi was immersed in his own research and very devoted. At that time, he established a laboratory, and Huang Jia followed him to learn. He also taught them what he knew without reservation.

Huang Jia said that during his postdoctoral studies, Zhang Shi published two SCI papers, applied for three funding projects, and also established a laboratory.

In Yang Yang's view, Zhang Shi is a simple person who has been studying in school and has relatively little social experience. Zhang Shi once revealed to Yang Yang that his work in the botanical garden was relatively leisurely, and he actually wanted to stay at the University of Science and Technology of China or other universities for research. However, due to insufficient qualifications, he was ultimately unable to stay.

After completing his postdoctoral research, Zhang Shi left Anhui and separated from his girlfriend.

I don't know what kind of fluctuations he went through in the following year or so. My family later recalled that Zhang Shi may have been under a lot of pressure in various aspects. Second brother Zhang Hao said that his mother has been hemiplegic for over 20 years, unable to take care of herself, and his father is already in his seventies. Zhang Shi lives frugally, but is very filial to his parents, occasionally giving them money or helping them buy medicine.

Zhang Hong remembers that her younger brother mentioned to her that the current job salary is relatively low, his parents are old and frail, and he is also at the age of getting married and having children.

Disconnection

Upon receiving the news from her younger brother asking for ransom, Zhang Hong panicked.

During that period, Zhang Shi would call every few days to urge. Zhang Hong recalled that in June of this year, due to frequent contact with his family, the fraud company suspected that Zhang was actually an undercover agent, locked him in a small black room, confiscated his phone, and even changed his workplace and position.

Zhang Hong was at a loss and didn't know if she should pay the ransom. She went to the local public security bureau to report to the police, and the other party told her that the case occurred overseas. They were trying to find a way and told her not to pay the ransom, otherwise the person might not be able to come back, so they should try to delay the time as much as possible.

At first, Zhang Hong and Zhang Hao didn't dare to tell their parents, but they still knew. Later, the family decided to pay a ransom. "What if I don't pay my younger brother?" Zhang Hong said. She, her second brother, and his girlfriend each contributed a little money and eventually raised 120000 yuan.

Considering that his older brother and sister don't have much education, Zhang Shi asked them to transfer the money to their girlfriend, who then transferred it overseas. Yang Yang recalled that at first she cheated the company to make her pay to Zhang Shi's Alipay, but she could not transfer the money. Later, the other party asked her to exchange the money for digital currency and transfer it, but she didn't know how to operate it.

Until the end of July, Yang Yang's account was frozen during the transfer process. Zhang Hong said that after reporting to the police, they have not received any further information and want to seek rescue measures through the media.

According to CCTV News, from August 15th to 16th, the Ministry of Public Security of China, the General Police Agency of Thailand, the Myanmar Police Headquarters, and the Ministry of Public Security of Laos jointly held a special cooperative crackdown on gambling fraud and related crimes such as human trafficking, kidnapping, and illegal detention in Chiang Mai, Thailand. All parties have decided to jointly establish a comprehensive coordination center for special operations in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and set up joint action points in areas where gambling fraud is rampant. With closer cooperation, more proactive attacks, and more professional actions, we will crack down on telecommunications network fraud and online gambling crimes in this region, and resolutely reverse the high incidence of human trafficking, kidnapping, detention, and other crimes.

The reporter learned that rescue forces are currently trying to rescue Zhang Shi. What makes Yang Yang uneasy is how Zhang Shi will face this experience and how to carry it on after returning to China.