China has reaffirmed its strong commitment to cracking down on telecommunications and online fraud, while pledging to further strengthen law enforcement cooperation with Sri Lanka.

In a statement, China noted that it is closely monitoring recent reports of Sri Lankan law enforcement authorities arresting a number of foreign suspects involved in online fraud, including Chinese nationals. 

It emphasized that such crimes cause significant harm and expressed full support for Sri Lankan authorities in taking firm action against suspects, while ensuring the protection of their legitimate rights in accordance with the law.

The statement highlighted that telecommunications and online fraud have rapidly expanded across the globe, posing a serious and widespread threat. China has, in recent years, engaged in extensive cooperation with several countries, including Myanmar, Cambodia, and the United Arab Emirates, to combat such crimes. 

A great many criminal gangs were smashed and decisive results were achieved, but some criminal groups moved to peripheral countries in Southeast Asia as a result, it said.

It was further noted that Sri Lanka’s advanced telecommunications infrastructure, strategic geographical location, relatively lenient visa policies, and the hospitality of its people have made the country a target for certain transnational fraud groups. As a result, incidents of such activities have reportedly increased in recent times, the statement said.

China stated that it attaches great importance to this development and continues to maintain close communication with Sri Lankan law enforcement agencies, actively promoting bilateral cooperation to combat online fraud. With joint efforts, Sri Lankan authorities arrested several Chinese nationals involved in fraud in 2024, who were subsequently repatriated to China in batches in 2025. 

“Relevant cooperation is being continuously advanced,” the statement said.

Reaffirming the longstanding partnership between the two countries, China expressed its readiness to further enhance collaboration with Sri Lanka, including strengthening joint investigations and coordination in tackling cross-border crimes such as telecommunications and online fraud. 

Such efforts will help safeguard the personal safety and property of our two peoples and create a sound environment for deepening all-round practical cooperation between China and Sri Lanka, it noted.