HONG KONG — Over the past two weeks, hundreds of Chinese citizens have been stranded at the Laos border. They were lured by online job offers in Laos and Myanmar but were robbed and forced to work in online scam operations upon arrival..
Desperate, the Chinese citizens have been trying to get help from the Chinese embassy in Laos but to no avail. They are now sleeping on the streets with no food or water..
On May 15, the Chinese embassy in Laos finally issued a statement saying that they were aware of the situation and were working with the Lao government to resolve it. However, the embassy did not offer any concrete help to the stranded citizens..
The Chinese citizens are now pleading with the Chinese government to help them. They are asking for the government to send a rescue team to the border and to pressure the Lao government to release them..
One of the stranded citizens, a woman named Kai-Yun He, told the South China Morning Post that she was lured to Laos by an online job offer that promised a salary of US$1,500 per month. However, when she arrived in Laos, she was robbed and forced to work in an online scam operation..
He said that she was forced to work 12 hours a day, seven days a week. She was not allowed to leave the office and was constantly monitored by armed guards..
He said that she managed to escape from the scam operation and made her way to the Chinese embassy in Laos. However, the embassy refused to help her and told her to go to the Lao government..
He is now sleeping on the streets with no food or water. She is desperate for help and is pleading with the Chinese government to rescue her..
Another stranded citizen, a man named Jia Ren Tui, told the BBC that he was also lured to Laos by an online job offer. He said that he was promised a salary of US$1,200 per month. However, when he arrived in Laos, he was robbed and forced to work in an online scam operation..
Tui said that he was forced to work 14 hours a day, seven days a week. He was not allowed to leave the office and was constantly monitored by armed guards..
Tui said that he managed to escape from the scam operation and made his way to the Chinese embassy in Laos. However, the embassy refused to help him and told him to go to the Lao government..
Tui is now sleeping on the streets with no food or water. He is desperate for help and is pleading with the Chinese government to rescue him..
The Chinese government has been criticized for its slow response to the situation. The Chinese embassy in Laos has been accused of ignoring the stranded citizens and of failing to provide them with any assistance..
The Chinese government has said that it is working with the Lao government to resolve the situation. However, it is unclear when the stranded citizens will be able to return home..
In the meantime, the stranded citizens are living in desperate conditions. They are sleeping on the streets with no food or water. They are at risk of being arrested by the Lao government or of being trafficked into other countries..
The Chinese government needs to do more to help the stranded citizens. It needs to send a rescue team to the border and to pressure the Lao government to release them. It also needs to provide them with food, water, and shelter..
The Chinese government has a responsibility to protect its citizens. It needs to take action to help the stranded citizens and to ensure that they are returned home safely..
