A total of 1,178 Chinese nationals involved in telecom fraud cases in Myawaddy of Myanmar have been sent back to China since the beginning of this month, said the Ministry of Public Security on Monday.
The suspects have been handed over in batches via Thailand under the escort of Chinese police since Dec 1, the ministry said in a statement on its official WeChat account.
The transfer followed a ministerial meeting on Nov 14 involving China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, where participants agreed to deepen cooperation and launch coordinated crackdowns on cross-border telecom fraud.
Police forces from China, Myanmar and Thailand recently launched another round of operations focusing on the Myawaddy area, where Myanmar cleared multiple scam compounds and detained groups of suspects.
According to the ministry, more than 6,600 Chinese nationals suspected of telecom fraud have been escorted back to China since Feb 20.
The ministry said the multinational crackdown on cross-border telecom fraud is ongoing, and China will continue strengthening law-enforcement cooperation to dismantle criminal networks and safeguard public security.
China brings back 1,178 telecom fraud suspects from Myanmar
U.S. stocks ended mixed on Monday as investors weighed escalating tensions in the Middle East and their potential impact on global oil supplies.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 73.14 points or 0.15 percent to 48,904.78. The S and P 500 added 2.74 points or 0.04 percent to 6,881.62. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased 80.65 points or 0.36 percent to 22,748.86.
Seven of the 11 primary S and P 500 sectors ended in the red. Consumer staples and consumer discretionary led the laggards, dropping 1.35 percent and 1.09 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, the energy and industrials sectors led the gainers, advancing 1.95 percent and 0.98 percent.
U.S. crude oil prices surged during the session as market participants expressed concerns over the interruption of supplies. Crude futures traded as much as 12 percent higher at their intraday peak.
Conversely, travel-related equities faced significant downward pressure due to the spike in energy costs. Major U.S. carriers, including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and American Airlines, declined between 2 percent and 5 percent.
In the technology sector, Nvidia gained 2.99 percent, and Microsoft rose 1.48 percent. Banking equities and economically sensitive stocks, such as Caterpillar, also managed to recover from earlier session lows to finish higher.
On the economic front, the Institute for Supply Management's Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index slipped to 52.4 in February from 52.6 in January. In the bond market, the yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note climbed over 8 basis points to reach 4.04 percent.
US stocks close mixed amid escalating Middle East tensions
