TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外交部) is racing against time to prevent Cambodia from deporting 180 Taiwanese nationals to China, where they face prosecution for alleged involvement in telecom fraud schemes. Officials confirmed Tuesday (April 15) that diplomatic negotiations continue as the ministry attempts to repatriate the suspects through established cross-strait judicial mechanisms, though the precise number of Taiwanese citizens involved remains under verification.
The crisis began when Cambodian authorities raided and dismantled a sophisticated telecom fraud operation in Phnom Penh on March 31, taking 180 Taiwanese suspects into custody. Cambodian officials have signaled their intention to deport all detainees to China rather than Taiwan, a decision that prompted MOFA to issue a formal diplomatic protest. During Tuesday's press conference, ministry representatives confirmed they had alerted both the Ministry of Justice (法務部) and the Mainland Affairs Council (陸委會), Taiwan's primary agency handling cross-strait affairs, to coordinate an urgent response.
Taiwan's representative office in Ho Chi Minh City (駐胡志明市台北經濟文化辦事處), which handles Taiwanese affairs in Cambodia due to the absence of direct diplomatic ties, has made multiple unsuccessful attempts to negotiate with Cambodian authorities. MOFA officials expressed frustration that Cambodia has refused to provide a comprehensive list of detained Taiwanese nationals while proceeding with plans to send them to mainland China. The ministry issued a stern warning to Taiwanese citizens about the severe consequences of engaging in illegal activities overseas, noting that telecom fraud operations not only risk lengthy imprisonment but also severely damage Taiwan's international reputation.
The stakes for the detained Taiwanese are extraordinarily high if they face trial in mainland China's judicial system. Conviction under Chinese fraud laws could result in sentences exceeding ten years or even life imprisonment, with capital punishment possible in cases classified as affecting national security or involving smuggling operations. Taiwan's foreign ministry is attempting to invoke the "Cross-Strait Joint Crime-Fighting and Judicial Mutual Assistance Agreement" (海峽兩岸共同打擊犯罪及司法互助協議), a 2009 pact between Taipei and Beijing that established protocols for handling criminal cases involving citizens from both sides. ★