A close-up photo by a netizen showing part of the Myawaddy Park on the Thai-Myanmar border. (Video screenshot)
People News — She Zhijiang, a former Chinese state security officer, is considered a prominent figure in Myanmar’s fraud industry. He was arrested in Thailand over two years ago and is now facing extradition to China. His company, the Yatai Group, recently invited BBC journalists to visit the area in an attempt to improve its negative image as a hub for online fraud. A dissident who was imprisoned alongside She Zhijiang told Radio Free Asia (RFA) that She admitted working for Chinese state security and promoting China’s "Belt and Road" projects in Myanmar before falling victim to persecution and being made a scapegoat by the Chinese government when problems arose.
According to RFA, Myanmar’s Myawaddy region in Karen State is home to numerous criminal groups engaged in telecom fraud, money laundering, and human trafficking. The recent kidnapping of Chinese actor Wang Xing brought more attention to the area. BBC journalist Jonathan Head, invited by Yatai Group to visit Shwe Kokko in Myawaddy Township, described the town as resembling "a provincial Chinese city."
The report states that eight years ago, Myawaddy, near the Thai border, was largely forested with only a few basic concrete buildings. Today, a small city has miraculously sprung up, with many buildings featuring Chinese signage, large billboards, and signs in Chinese, English, and Burmese declaring that forced labor and human trafficking are prohibited. Head was "surprised" to find a library and what appeared to be a Starbucks, though few people were seen on the streets. Many newly constructed buildings had barred windows, and Head was not permitted to film inside.
Yatai Group representatives emphasized to Head that there were no fraudulent activities in Shwe Kokko, portraying it as a safe, eco-friendly city. However, locals quietly told him that scams were still rampant. "The entire city’s high-rises are running these operations. No one comes here for leisure. Yatai must be aware of this."
Since construction began in 2017, Shwe Kokko has been off-limits to tourists. The town has nine casinos catering primarily to Chinese clientele. Head was taken to see a luxurious KTV room with several young Chinese women dressed provocatively and wearing masks, while large TV screens on the walls repeatedly played videos of She Zhijiang—the man behind Shwe Kokko—imprisoned in Thailand.
Mastermind She Zhijiang Claims Abuse in Thai Prison
She Zhijiang, chairman of Yatai International Holdings Group, which operates gambling businesses in Cambodia and the Philippines, invested $15 billion to develop Shwe Kokko in Myanmar’s Karen State. In May 2021, Interpol issued a "Red Notice" against She, accusing him of running an online gambling platform with criminal gangs since 2018, generating illegal profits of 150 million yuan (about $23 million USD).
In 2022, Thailand arrested She in Bangkok under the Red Notice. A Thai court ordered his extradition to China the following year, but She appealed, claiming the charges were politically motivated. Born in China and later naturalized as a Cambodian citizen, She also submitted a letter to Interpol through his lawyer, alleging "inhumane treatment" in the Thai prison, including violence that left him unable to stand on his own.
According to a BBC report, She appeared genuinely indignant about his sudden change of fortune during interviews. "I used to know little about human rights, but now I truly understand how horrifying it is when rights are violated. It’s hard to imagine that a businessman who once attended state banquets with Xi Jinping would have no way to safeguard his dignity or human rights."
Alleges Betrayal by CCP Over “Belt and Road” Project Failures
Radio Free Asia (RFA) interviewed Mr. Li, a Chinese dissident exiled in Europe who shared a prison cell with She in Thailand. She reportedly admitted to working for Chinese state security and advancing China’s Belt and Road projects in Myanmar before being betrayed and scapegoated by Chinese interest groups.
Li recounted, "We were in the same cell. He knew I was arrested for protesting against Xi Jinping, so he was willing to talk to me. He said, ‘I was arrested to silence me because I know too much. I worked for Chinese state security and was directed by officials to develop the Yatai New City project—a key Belt and Road initiative.’ He even shared his meetings with Xi Jinping. The reasons for his arrest were likely twofold: offending the person who introduced him to the Chinese government and being the scapegoat for the Belt and Road project’s problems in Myanmar."
Claims Gray Industries Were Sanctioned by CCP, Denies Fraud Involvement
Li added that She followed a high-level political path, with several Yatai executives having ties to Chinese state security. She allegedly sought to create large-scale gray industries in Myanmar that were approved by the Chinese government but did not violate local laws, including gambling, illicit massage parlors, and underground banking. She admitted to running these industries but denied engaging in telecom fraud in the Yatai New City project.
Li shared, "She said, ‘People accuse me of organ trafficking, but I swear I refused to engage in telecom fraud from the start. If I wanted to, I could have opened hundreds of fraud centers in Myawaddy and made even more money. I operated with legal licenses. Now you say I’m illegal after arresting me under a Red Notice, but there was no Red Notice before my arrest.’ Of course, this is his side of the story. He admitted to running casinos and underground money networks but felt the CCP was unfairly pinning telecom fraud on him."
Allegations She Holds Evidence of CCP Crimes
Li claimed that She, imprisoned for over two years in Thailand, was kept in a death row cell. Although Thailand denied he was tortured, his lawyer suggested otherwise. The Chinese government and interest groups, Li added, were eyeing Yatai’s assets while fearing the secrets She held regarding China’s Belt and Road activities.
"She was placed in Thailand’s highest-security death row prison. Why was he detained so long without abuse? Requests to review prison footage were denied. Could they show Chinese embassy or state security personnel visiting his cell? If She is eliminated, many can divide Yatai’s assets, and the CCP would gain a compliant colony. She knows too much and could expose the truth," Li said.
CCP’s Belt and Road Initiative: The Root of Criminal Activities
Li also accused the CCP and its vested interests of colluding with Myanmar’s military and corrupt Thai officials in developing Belt and Road projects. These projects, he argued, spawned gray industries and fraud zones.
"Why was only one person rescued in the Wang Xing case? Is that reasonable? The Karen State region is managed by a military council that has dedicated liaisons with the CCP. Wherever the Belt and Road expands, fraud zones and gray industries follow," Li said.
RFA could not independently verify Li’s claims. However, these allegations align with BBC reports of Yatai Group’s media efforts to improve the city’s dark reputation.
On January 26, China’s Foreign Ministry told Reuters that She Zhijiang is a Chinese national and "a key figure in online gambling and telecom fraud crimes," with "conclusive evidence" justifying his extradition.
She’s camp insists the charges are politically motivated and has fought the extradition. He also continues to allege mistreatment in the Thai prison, which Thailand denies.
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