分类： society

China’s judicial authorities have significantly escalated their campaign against transnational telecommunications and cyber fraud networks, achieving substantial breakthroughs in prosecuting criminal organizations operating from northern Myanmar. The Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) and Supreme People’s Court (SPC) presented comprehensive work reports to the National People’s Congress on Monday, detailing their intensified efforts against sophisticated fraud operations targeting Chinese citizens.

According to the judicial reports, Chinese prosecutors brought charges against approximately 69,000 individuals for telecommunications and online fraud offenses throughout 2025. Among these cases, 285 defendants faced prosecution for severe crimes including fraud, intentional homicide, and intentional injury – all committed under the direction of criminal syndicates based in Myanmar’s northern regions.

The judicial crackdown has yielded decisive outcomes, with Chinese courts concluding 41,000 fraud-related cases in 2025, representing a 1.2 percent increase from the previous year. In a landmark development, sixteen members of family-operated criminal syndicates in Myanmar received death sentences for their roles in orchestrating fraud operations against Chinese nationals. These sentences underscore China’s determination to extend legal jurisdiction beyond its borders when its citizens are victimized.

Notable cases include the Wenzhou Intermediate People’s Court’s sentencing of eleven criminal group members from northern Myanmar, including leaders Mg Myin Shaunt Phyin and Ma Thiri Maung, to death for multiple offenses. Court documents revealed the organization had established an armed faction in Myanmar’s Kokang region, engaging in telecommunications fraud, casino operations, drug trafficking, and organized prostitution since 2015. Their criminal activities resulted in fourteen Chinese fatalities and six injuries, with illegal proceeds exceeding 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion). The executions were carried out earlier this year following mandatory review and approval by the SPC.

Similarly, the Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court sentenced five members of another prominent syndicate to death in November. Led by Bay Saw Chain and Bay Yin Chin, this group utilized its military influence to establish forty-one compounds in the Kokang region, resulting in six Chinese deaths and multiple injuries. Following Bay Saw Chain’s death from illness, the SPC approved the execution of the remaining four defendants in February.

Yang Jianbo, Director-General of the SPP’s Law and Policy Research Office, confirmed that since the special operation’s inception in 2023, arrest warrants have been approved for 49,000 individuals, with 47,000 already prosecuted. “This has effectively deterred cross-border telecom fraud offenders,” Yang stated.

Legal experts emphasize the jurisdictional legitimacy of China’s actions. Professor Peng Xinlin of Beijing Normal University explained that under Chinese law, jurisdiction applies regardless of the perpetrator’s nationality or crime location when actions harm Chinese interests and constitute crimes in both jurisdictions, carrying potential sentences of three or more years. “Telecom fraud, including online scams, is criminalized in both China and Myanmar,” Peng noted, “and because these offenders have inflicted significant harm on Chinese citizens, they can be prosecuted under China’s Criminal Law.”

Amidst escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, the nation’s dwindling Jewish population finds itself caught in a complex web of identity, politics, and survival. With fewer than 10,000 Jews remaining in the country of 90 million, community members express diverse perspectives on the conflict while navigating daily security concerns.

Yosef, an Iranian Jewish historian, draws a sharp distinction between his religious identity and political Zionism. “Zionism has damaged Israel’s reputation globally,” he asserts, noting the absence of influential left-wing movements in contemporary Israeli politics. Like many in his community, Yosef shelters from aerial strikes originating from Israel—a nation he’s expected to feel affinity toward but criticizes for its role in regional destabilization.

The ongoing warfare presents profound personal dilemmas for Iranian Jews who watch conflicts between their homeland and the Jewish state. Sara, a 46-year-old businesswoman from Shiraz, directs her anger toward Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom she describes as a “charlatan” using military escalation to divert attention from domestic corruption charges. Despite her Jewish faith, she maintains: “I cannot see the country where I was born and raised as my enemy.”

Historical context reveals a dramatic demographic shift: Iran’s Jewish population has declined from approximately 70,000-100,000 before the 1979 Islamic Revolution to just over 9,000 according to the 2016 census. This transformation occurred alongside the severing of diplomatic relations between Tehran and Jerusalem.

Daniel, a 52-year-old Tehran jeweler, expresses dual sorrow witnessing missiles strike Israeli cities while Israeli and American warplanes fly over his own home. “The explosions keep us awake at night,” he confesses, reflecting the anxiety many feel about speaking openly during wartime.

Contrary to expectations, some community members report improved attitudes toward Jews within Iran. Arash, a 71-year-old restaurant owner, observes: “The level of anger toward the Islamic Republic is so high that many Iranians today see Jews as friends.” However, he quickly affirms his primary identity as Iranian and laments governmental policies that have brought the country to its current situation.

As the conflict enters its second week with strikes targeting Tehran’s oil infrastructure, the community’s deepest fear extends beyond immediate violence to concerns about Iran’s future. Yosef articulates this apprehension: “What I fear most is that the final result of this war will destroy the country I love,” capturing the profound tension between national loyalty and religious identity that defines the experience of Iran’s Jewish minority.

Walid Khalidi, the preeminent Palestinian historian whose seminal scholarship documented the displacement and historical narrative of the Palestinian people, has passed away at the age of 100. His death was confirmed by the Institute for Palestine Studies (IPS), the Beirut-based research center he co-founded in 1963, which announced he died on Sunday in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Khalidi’s life’s work was dedicated to meticulously chronicling Palestinian society before and after the Nakba—the ‘catastrophe’ of 1948 that saw the violent displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to facilitate the creation of the state of Israel. He earned the moniker ‘the historian of the Palestinian cause’ through his rigorous academic contributions, which included translating and analyzing the diaries of key Israeli figures like first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett.

Under his stewardship, the IPS became an indispensable resource, producing critical studies and translations between Hebrew, Arabic, and English. Among its most significant publications was a detailed examination of the Haganah, the Zionist paramilitary force central to the 1948 events. Khalidi’s research was instrumental in bringing to light previously concealed strategic plans, such as Plan Dalet, which outlined the systematic occupation and depopulation of Palestinian villages.

His encyclopedic collections, including the photographic archive ‘Before Their Diaspora’ and the comprehensive volume ‘All That Remains,’ serve as rare visual and historical records of a vanished pre-1948 Palestine. Born into an academic family in Jerusalem in 1925, Khalidi’s own career was distinguished. He taught at the University of Oxford until resigning in protest over the 1956 Suez Crisis, later becoming a professor at the American University of Beirut until 1982, and finally a research fellow at Harvard University.

Blending scholarship with political advocacy, Khalidi maintained associations with several Palestinian political movements and formally represented Palestinian interests on the international stage, including in the Arab League and at the 1991 Middle East peace talks in Washington. A lifelong proponent of a two-state solution, he articulated it in a 1988 Foreign Affairs article as the only viable framework for a historical compromise in the enduring conflict.

In China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, National People’s Congress deputy Min Xiaoqing is spearheading an ambitious educational initiative to strengthen ethnic unity through comprehensive curriculum integration and cultural exchange programs. As the general Party branch secretary of Tacheng No. 6 Middle School, Min brings unique personal perspective to her work—she grew up in a mixed Han and Russian ethnicity household, providing firsthand understanding of multicultural coexistence.

With over 1,800 students and teachers representing 14 distinct ethnic groups, the school has implemented a multi-faceted approach to fostering national identity. The institution utilizes standardized national textbooks for ethics, language, and history instruction while prioritizing Mandarin proficiency across all ethnic backgrounds. Teachers receive specialized training to enhance their language instruction capabilities, ensuring effective communication and cultural connection.

The school’s methodology extends beyond classroom instruction with regular themed activities including Ethnic Unity Promotion Month, specialized class meetings, and flag-raising ceremonies that highlight stories of interethnic cooperation. Cultural and sports events such as art festivals, athletic competitions, and community service projects provide additional platforms for cross-cultural bonding and relationship building.

Min, recognized as a national role model for ethnic unity and progress in 2024, emphasizes that these measures actively promote “exchanges, interactions and integration of all ethnic groups” while strengthening identification with Chinese culture and reinforcing the consciousness of the Chinese nation as a unified community.

The educational practices at Tacheng No. 6 Middle School reflect broader regional dynamics in a city where over 20% of families consist of two or more ethnic groups. Tacheng’s longstanding tradition of ethnic coexistence earned it recognition as a national model city for ethnic unity and progress from the National Ethnic Affairs Commission in 2014.

Looking forward, Min advocates for increased policy support, funding, and talent acquisition to advance educational quality throughout Xinjiang. Her institution plans to implement smart campus technologies and artificial intelligence solutions to address resource challenges while enhancing political, physical, and aesthetic education programs. The school will also expand mental health support services to ensure students’ comprehensive development and prepare them to contribute meaningfully to national rejuvenation efforts.

A comprehensive biographical work examining the complex legacy of former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert McNamara has been awarded the prestigious Barbara and David Zalaznick Book Prize in American History. The New-York Historical Society announced on Monday that ‘McNamara at War’ by Philip and William Taubman received the $50,000 honor for its profound exploration of one of America’s most controversial political figures.

The biography meticulously traces McNamara’s remarkable trajectory from his post-World War II business leadership prominence to his tumultuous tenure as defense secretary during the Vietnam War. The work presents McNamara’s story through the lens of classical Greek tragedy, charting his journey from excellence (arete) through arrogance (hubris), reckless folly (ate), and ultimately punishment for his pride (nemesis).

McNamara, who served across two Democratic administrations for seven years as defense secretary, departed the Pentagon in February 1968 following announced resignation plans three months earlier. His exit came amid profound disagreements with President Lyndon Johnson and military leadership over Vietnam strategy, occurring simultaneously with the rapidly escalating anti-war movement across the nation.

The former defense secretary, who passed away in 2009, spent decades expressing profound regrets about the Vietnam conflict he once championed but ultimately deemed unwinnable. The Taubman brothers’ work provides fresh perspective on this deeply divisive period in American history through the prism of McNamara’s personal and professional transformation.

At an April ceremony, the authors will receive an engraved medal and the distinguished title of American Historian Laureate. They join an esteemed list of previous winners including Robert Caro’s ‘The Passage of Power,’ Ron Chernow’s ‘Washington: A Life,’ and Beverly Gage’s ‘G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century.’

A groundbreaking profession has emerged as a focal point during China’s ongoing Two Sessions political gatherings: the senior care specialist. This newly recognized career path represents a significant shift in how China addresses its aging population challenges while creating opportunities for younger generations.

China Daily journalist Xia Ji embarked on an investigative journey to understand this developing field, consulting with CPPCC members about the profession’s future prospects. The research culminated in an immersive experience at a senior care community, where Ji shadowed Yi Yi, a Generation Z care specialist, throughout her daily routine.

The firsthand account reveals a profession that combines technical expertise with emotional intelligence, requiring specialists to navigate complex healthcare systems while providing compassionate companionship. These specialists undergo specialized training in gerontology, mobility assistance, medication management, and emotional support techniques tailored to elderly needs.

China’s rapidly aging demographic landscape has accelerated demand for qualified care professionals. The official recognition of senior care specialists during the Two Sessions indicates government commitment to standardizing and professionalizing elderly care services nationwide.

Young professionals like Yi Yi are bringing innovative approaches to traditional care models, incorporating technology-assisted monitoring, personalized activity planning, and intergenerational connection strategies that benefit both caregivers and recipients. The career offers competitive compensation packages and clear advancement pathways, making it increasingly attractive to young Chinese job seekers.

The transformation of elderly care from informal family responsibility to professionalized service sector reflects broader socioeconomic changes in Chinese society and represents one of the fastest-growing employment categories in the healthcare ecosystem.