China launches international anti-scam alliance
The organisation aims to give participating countries a framework for closer cooperation as fraud networks increasingly operate across multiple jurisdictions.
China.- Law enforcement agencies from 46 countries have launched an intergovernmental body focused on tackling telecom and cyber fraud that crosses national borders. The International Alliance Combating Telecom and Cyber Fraud was formally established today in Lianyungang, eastern China, during the 2026 Conference of the Global Public Security Cooperation Forum.
The alliance was initiated by China to strengthen cooperation between law enforcement agencies dealing with telecom fraud, cyber-enabled scams and related criminal activity. Other founding members include Vietnam, Laos, Kenya, Cambodia, Pakistan and Russia. A further 34 countries attended the inaugural conference as observers, alongside representatives from four international organisations, including the United Nations and Interpol.
Delegates backed the creation of the organisation through a joint statement, recognising cross-border fraud as a global problem that requires closer coordination between countries. The alliance is intended to support cooperation in areas including intelligence sharing, cross-border investigations, the pursuit of suspects and the recovery of assets linked to such offences.
The new body builds on a series of bilateral and regional operations involving China and other countries against telecom and online fraud networks. China has established law enforcement partnerships with more than 30 countries, while joint operations with several Southeast Asian countries have resulted in over 20,000 suspected telecom and online fraud offenders being arrested and repatriated this year.
