International alliance against anti-telecom, cyber fraud launched in China

(ECNS) -- An international alliance aimed at combating cross-border telecom and cyber fraud was established in Lianyungang, East China's Jiangsu Province, on Thursday, with many countries and international organizations hailing it as an important step toward stronger intelligence sharing and coordinated global action against the rapidly growing transnational security threat.

The International Alliance Combating Telecom and Cyber Fraud was formally established at a conference attended by representatives from 46 founding countries, 34 observer countries and four international organizations, including the United Nations and the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).

Participants jointly issued a declaration on the establishment of the alliance, saying telecom and cyber fraud had become a global scourge and that there was an urgent need for a more focused, professional and effective intergovernmental organization, supported by an international convention, to tackle such crimes.

According to the declaration, the alliance aims to strengthen international cooperation in combating cross-border telecom and cyber fraud and to protect the legitimate rights and interests of citizens, legal entities and other organizations.

Wu Chengqiu, an associate professor at Fudan University's School of International Relations and Public Affairs, said the alliance responded to growing public concerns about the protection of personal property and could help address gaps in the global fight against transnational crime.

It could also contribute to improving global security governance and help countries better manage some non-traditional security risks too, Wu said.

Yuan Zhenlong, director of the Institute of Comprehensive Governance at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, said intensified crackdowns in Southeast Asia had disrupted scam compounds, while also pushing criminal groups to shift their operations to other regions.

"Global efforts to combat telecom and cyber fraud remain challenging, making the establishment of a multilateral platform for coordinated governance increasingly urgent," Yuan said.

Ouch Channora, Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Interior of the Kingdom of Cambodia, said the alliance could help curb transnational non-traditional security threats associated with telecom fraud, particularly crimes involving human trafficking.

Zafar Uddin Mahmood, special representative of the Prime Minister of Pakistan for China Affairs, said telecom and cyber fraud had become a common governance challenge for the international community.

Fraud cases in Pakistan had risen in recent years, underscoring the need for a platform for countries to exchange experience and work together, he said.

Mahmood said Pakistan looked forward to working closely with China through the alliance, drawing on China's experience in combating fraud and jointly tackling cross-border telecom and cyber fraud.

(By Zhang Dongfang)