November 29, 2016
No. 273
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has expressed to the Malaysian government its profound regret regarding the deportation to mainland China of 21 ROC nationals allegedly involved in telecommunications fraud, and lodged a strong protest at the violation of the principle of national jurisdiction.
On October 27, 2016, Malaysian police, working jointly with mainland Chinese police authorities, arrested and detained the Republic of China (Taiwanese) nationals and six mainland Chinese nationals suspected of cross-border telecommunications fraud, and subsequently forcibly deported the Taiwanese nationals to mainland China, against their will, on November 29.
Attempting to secure the return of the Taiwanese suspects and their associated case files to Taiwan at the earliest possible juncture, MOFA and the Ministry of the Interior’s National Police Agency maintained close contact with the Malaysian government prior to the deportation and cooperated on follow-up investigations, tracking developments in the Taiwanese suspects’ cases and negotiating with the Malaysian government via all possible channels, and requesting that the Malaysian side repatriate the suspects in accordance with the principle of national jurisdiction. However, under strong pressure from mainland Chinese authorities, the Malaysian government ignored the ROC’s appeals and forcibly deported the 21 Taiwanese suspects to mainland China, along with the mainland Chinese suspects, on November 29.
Malaysia’s actions in this case represent a serious violation of the human rights of ROC nationals and have impaired the longstanding friendship between the two countries. In addition to lodging a strong protest against Malaysia, MOFA immediately requested the Ministry of Justice and the Mainland Affairs Council to negotiate with mainland China the repatriation of the 21 Taiwanese suspects for trial through mechanisms established under the cross-strait agreement on joint crime-fighting and mutual judicial assistance.
Cross-border fraud is a major crime to be dealt with through international cooperation. MOFA calls on ROC nationals not to engage in illegal activities, including telecommunications fraud, overseas, as such activities are liable to result in severe penalties. (E)