Chinese Model Yang Zeqi Rescued and Returned Home, Sends Video Message with Father to Confirm Safety

Thai authorities have announced that Chinese actor Wang Xing, who went missing near the Thailand-Myanmar border last week, has been found. (Online photo dated January 7, 2025)

[People News] This Thursday, Chinese model Yang Zeqi, who had been missing for nearly a month, finally returned to China. Appearing in a video alongside his father, who traveled to rescue him, Yang reassured the public about his safety, following widespread attention to his kidnapping in Thailand and subsequent transfer to Myanmar's Myawaddy region.

According to Radio Free Asia, on the evening of January 16 at 9 p.m., the Thai Wenhua Law Firm posted a video on Weibo. In the video, Yang Zeqi's father, Yang Haitao, announced, "I have good news to share: Yang Zeqi has been found." He expressed gratitude to netizens and the media for their concern.

Yang Zeqi appeared in the video making a "V" sign and looking relaxed. His father took the opportunity to warn young people about online scams, urging them to stay vigilant to avoid similar incidents: "Yang was very fortunate. Thanks to everyone's help, he is now back in China. I want to caution young people to be more discerning in the future and avoid falling for online scams like this."

The Disappearance That Shocked Society

Twenty-five-year-old Yang Zeqi traveled to Thailand on December 20, claiming he had received a photography job offer with a payment of 8,000 RMB. However, on December 29, his family received a video of him showing bruising around his eyes, raising suspicions of abuse. While Yang claimed the bruising was makeup for filming, his family sensed something was wrong and immediately traveled to Thailand to report the case and begin rescue efforts.

After extensive efforts by Thai police and others, Yang was located on January 12 in the Hengsheng area of Myawaddy, Myanmar. According to insiders, he had suffered physical abuse while being detained. Fortunately, the rescue operation succeeded.

To date, actors Wang Xing, Jiangsu woman Wu Jiaqi, and model Yang Zeqi have all been rescued from Myawaddy with the help of Thai police, following media attention. However, Wang Xing reported that 49 other Chinese victims detained in the same house remain missing.

Mr. Li, a Chinese expatriate in Thailand, told Radio Free Asia that if Thai police want to locate kidnapped individuals, they have the channels to do so, but such efforts require negotiations and concessions. Myawaddy's industrial zone involves over 100 scam organizations, with various stakeholders. Additionally, the victims are within Myanmar's territory. "This issue doesn’t just involve Thailand; the ultimate leaders are in China. Thailand and Myanmar are deeply involved, with Myanmar's local warlords providing protection. Thailand's military likely has a stake as well. Regarding this whole situation, you could say Thailand is being scapegoated, but not entirely unfairly, as the military is heavily involved," Li explained.

Cross-Border Telecom Fraud and Kidnapping Back in the Spotlight

The case of Yang Zeqi bears similarities to the earlier ordeal of Chinese actor Wang Xing, both involving being lured to Thailand or Myanmar and falling under the control of telecom fraud syndicates. In recent years, the scam compounds along the Thailand-Myanmar border have frequently come to light, drawing widespread public attention and prompting government actions.

According to statistics, there are currently over 1 million people involved in the fraud industry in Southeast Asia, with more than 70% of them kidnapped and forced into the trade by criminal groups. In an interview with Phoenix TV, Hao Zhendong, who narrowly escaped from northern Myanmar years ago, said that the more than 1,000 kidnapped individuals whose families were blackmailed—exposed online recently—represent only a "tiny fraction" of the massive fraud syndicates.

Du Yinghong, an artist residing in Chiang Mai, told Radio Free Asia that the recent high-profile kidnapping and telecom fraud cases highlight a pattern of Chinese involvement, where the perpetrators, victims, and those seeking help are all Chinese: “The criminals are Chinese, the victims are Chinese. This morning, I received two pieces of information. One was about instability and chaos in Chiang Mai, using Yefu [a local writer] as a pretext, and the other was about telecom fraud.”

The incident has sparked heated discussions on Chinese social media, with many netizens calling on the Chinese government to strengthen anti-fraud campaigns and remind young people to enhance their self-protection awareness. Mr. Li, based in Thailand, urged the Chinese government to do everything possible to protect its overseas citizens and assist local authorities in rescuing kidnapped hostages.

In a related report by Radio Free Asia's English team, Myanmar’s militia groups supporting the military junta and operators of scam compounds have reportedly agreed to cease human trafficking activities. The new rules include bans on violence, threats, or torture; prohibitions on child labor; restrictions on generating income through human trafficking; and a complete ban on fraudulent activities. Violators of these rules will lose their business rights and be expelled from the region. An anonymous businessman told Radio Free Asia that the meeting held on Wednesday was tied to pressure from the Thai and Myanmar governments following the case of actor Wang Xing.