Date: February 21, 2017
MAC Press Release No. 14
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said that the government has produced an information video based on real-life cases to strengthen fraud prevention advocacy and help the public to better understand the criminal pattern of fraud syndicates. It hopes the video will encourage broad public attention to and care for friends and relatives so that the people of Taiwan do not continue to be tricked and misled and the incidence of cross-border telecommunications fraud can be effectively reduced. Some parties have stated that "The government has not tried to seek the return of telecommunications fraud suspects deported to mainland China and instead has threateningly used "deported to Mainland China" as an advertising line to admonish people not to commit crime." The MAC made a clarification on this apparent misunderstanding of the government's purpose and intent in filming the video.
The MAC stated that, as of the end of 2016, more than 2,000 Taiwanese people had been involved in overseas telecommunications fraud. According to police agencies in Taiwan, the investigations have shown that most of the people were enticed by fraud syndicates promising high salaries, work abroad, and other incentives. Once overseas, many people were controlled by criminal syndicates through blackmail and forced to commit crime. This is indeed a growing trend. To effectively combat cross-Strait fraud, the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Criminal Investigation Bureau, Taiwan High Prosecutors Office, the MAC, and other agencies established an inter-agency platform last year to strengthen crime fighting. The government has also actively communicated with other countries through diplomatic channels to seek the extradition of Taiwanese crime suspects to Taiwan to undergo investigation and trial in accordance with the law. Taiwan will also continue to convey to the Mainland that two sides should actively cooperate to effectively combat crime and that Taiwan nationals taken to mainland China should be deported to Taiwan to be tried according to the law.
The MAC emphasized that it appreciates advice of outside parties on the advocacy content. However, since the surge of cross-border telecommunications fraud greatly affects the nation's reputation, the ruling and opposition parties should work together at this time to build consensus and identify effective ways to prevent and control telecommunications fraud. This would be a true blessing for Taiwan. The government also reiterated its call for the Mainland to not block cross-Strait police cooperation due to political factors. The Mainland should keep the welfare of the people in mind, promptly expand communication and dialogue with Taiwan, and cooperate in combating crime to protect the rights and interests of people on both sides.