Thaindian News

Beijing, Jan 24 (IANS) There has been an increase in the number of Chinese women who are trafficked abroad and forced into prostitution, a senior police official has said.Chen Shiqu, director of the anti-human trafficking office under the ministry of public security, said the women were trafficked mainly to be forced into marriage or forced into prostitution.

“There has been a growing trend for organised trans-national human trafficking crime groups to target Chinese women for forced prostitution in foreign countries,” China Daily quoted Chen as saying.

A majority of the women were trafficked to Southeast Asia, Europe and Africa, he said.

The police in China have cracked 9,165 trafficking cases and rescued 17,746 women since April 2009.

“Many of the trafficked women were cheated by criminal suspects under the guise of overseas study or high-paid jobs and then forced into prostitution,” said Chen.

Beijing has also established eight border offices with neighbouring countries, such as Vietnam, Myanmar and Laos, to combat trafficking, Chen said.

Chinese police have also cooperated with their Russian, British, Australian and Malaysian counterparts in intelligence exchange and investigation.

Dai Peng, head of the investigation department of the Chinese People’s Public Security University, said lack of financial and manpower resources are hindering police efforts to fight international trafficking.