Three Chinese nationals charged with kidnapping linked to alleged gambling activities were repatriated to China over the weekend, the Chinese Embassy in Manila reported.

This development was a result of joint operations made by Chinese and Philippine authorities driven by a “strong determination of the two countries to jointly combat kidnapping and other crimes related to offshore gambling,” according to the embassy.

The embassy strongly condemned any form of gambling stating “the Chinese law prohibits any form of gambling. Online gambling, cross-border gambling by Chinese nationals, and running casinos outside China to solicit Chinese nationals are all illegal in China.”

“The Chinese government has always taken tough measures to combat crimes such as gambling and kidnapping,” the embassy stressed.

The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines will continue to strengthen practical law enforcement cooperation with the Philippine side, support the latter in addressing the root cause of crimes related to offshore gambling, and join hands to crackdown kidnapping and other crimes.

Earlier in June, the Chinese Embassy released a statement condemning all forms of gambling, including POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators). It declared it a breeding ground for “serious crimes such as kidnapping for ransom, human trafficking and murder.”

The embassy affirmed its commitment to “maintain close communication and cooperation and conducted multiple joint operations with the Philippines to bring down cross-border gambling and telecom fraud.”