Chinese embassy warns citizens against ‘buying foreign wife' scams in Bangladesh
China's embassy in Bangladesh on Sunday issued a notice to Chinese citizens to avoid the 'misguided notion' of 'buying a foreign wife' through online matchmaking scams.
Advertisement
The statement published on the embassy's social media account urged Chinese nationals to stay away from illegal agencies that promote cross-border blind dates and marriages 'to avoid losing both money and person'.
The embassy warned that individuals involved in illegal marriages in the South Asian country risked being arrested for human trafficking, a charge that often triggers lengthy judicial proceedings that could last months or even years.
Cross-border marriage agencies are illegal under Chinese law, but online advertisements promoting foreign brides have begun to appear more frequently as China faces declining marriage rates and a gender imbalance.
Last year, China saw its lowest number of marriage registrations since 1980, with just 6.1 million marriage certificates issued, a decline of more than 20 per cent from 2023.
Advertisement
According to the latest figures from the National Bureau of Statistics, there are an estimated 30 million more men than women in China, a legacy of decades of strict
family planning policies
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
33 minutes ago
- South China Morning Post
Asia is finally cool in the eyes of those who matter
The late Joseph Nye, who coined the term 'soft power' , often warned that US President Donald Trump's actions were harming America's reputation abroad. Meanwhile, perceptions of China and other Asian countries are on the rise. Could this indicate a shift towards the fabled ' Asian century '? More than a third of people in Southeast Asia were born since the beginning of the 21st century, amounting to more than 250 million people. As a result, none of them personally experienced the 1997 Asian financial crisis. A small minority encountered the September 11 attacks and the subsequent 'war on terror', while only a few can recall the 2008 global financial crisis. However, most of them have been directly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic . Some have now entered the workforce and can afford to travel abroad. Many Southeast Asians consume a diverse range of foreign content and products online and offline. What does the world look like to them? Geopolitics is back and globalisation is no longer taken for granted. Meanwhile, regionalism might be stronger than ever, especially given Trump's 'America first' doctrine China is leading the way in shaping socioeconomic and political developments across Southeast Asia and beyond. Part of the reason for this is its Belt and Road Initiative , which has been instrumental in expanding its influence across different domains. This initiative encompasses physical and digital infrastructure, including roads, trains, bridges and the technological foundations for future connectivity such as 6G and beyond, which will power smart cities.
South China Morning Post
39 minutes ago
- South China Morning Post
Trump says his top economic officials will meet with China counterparts in London next week
US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that his top economic officials will meet with their Chinese counterparts next week to discuss trade, just days after he conducted a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping , and also reiterated that Beijing agreed to restart exports of critical minerals. 'I am pleased to announce that Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer, will be meeting in London on Monday, June 9, 2025, with Representatives of China, with reference to the Trade Deal,' Trump said on social media 'The meeting should go very well. Thank you for your attention to this matter!' Already buoyed by a US jobs report on Friday that narrowly exceeded forecasts, stocks extended gains after Trump's announcement, with the benchmark S&P 500 index advancing by more than 1 per cent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index gaining around 1.3 per cent. The talks planned for next week will come just four days after Trump held a phone call with Xi to discuss a frayed trading relationship before extending invitations to visit each other's capitals. 05:05 Trump and Xi discuss Taiwan, troubled US-China trade ties in call breaking stand-off Trump and Xi discuss Taiwan, troubled US-China trade ties in call breaking stand-off Trump said shortly after the call on Thursday that the exchange 'resulted in a very positive conclusion for both Countries'.
South China Morning Post
3 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Key question remains after Xi-Trump phone call breaks stand-off
Top-level talks amid tense stand-offs between China and the United States have the power to move markets, and often do. The excitement generated by the 90-day trade war truce agreed in Geneva last month is an example. But it is not matched by reaction to Thursday's call between presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump. Though it is another welcome break in the ice that has formed over the bilateral relationship, it leaves a key question unanswered – what next, if the truce is to succeed in heading off a damaging global tariff war. That is not to say no good at all came from the first call between the two leaders since days before Trump's inauguration in January. The US president said on social media that Xi had invited him and America's first lady to visit China, and he had reciprocated. The details – ceremonial and diplomatic – remain to be negotiated between officials, but a possible opportunity will be the annual Apec Economic Leaders' Meeting to be held in Seoul in November. Both leaders had concrete results to show for the call. Trump agreed to unblock visas for Chinese students in the US, days after the State Department said it would revoke them, and Xi agreed to resume Chinese exports of rare earth minerals, crucial to everyday civilian, strategic and military technologies. Each has dimmed prospects of more constructive dialogue and negotiation between the two sides. A number of technological bans and export controls imposed by Washington remain in place, examples of mixed messaging that does nothing to ease tensions. The tone of the official readouts contrasted, with Trump focusing on trade issues and Xi, besides trade, emphasising the importance of the Taiwan issue and overall bilateral ties. Xi warned the US not to embolden Taiwan separatists to jeopardise China-US relations – an apparent reference to what is seen as an attempt by Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-ti to use the US-China tariff war to gain an advantage. 'Xi emphasised that the US should handle the Taiwan issue with caution,' state television said, to avoid dragging 'the two countries into a dangerous situation of conflict and confrontation'. Hopefully, the next round of trade negotiations will come sooner rather than later – not just for China and the US but for the sake of global trade. The European Union and many other markets are frustrated by the slowing of Chinese rare earth exports. China is similarly facing difficulties because of US technological bans and controls, including critical aviation technology. Both sides must improve communication in all areas to build consensus, clear misunderstandings and strengthen cooperation. That is the best way back to the negotiating table and more positive measures than tit-for-tat bans and controls.
