China Police Task Force Wins ‘Touching China’ Award for Myanmar Crime Crackdown

A special task force from China’s Ministry of Public Security, which led the dismantling of powerful criminal syndicates operating in northern Myanmar, has been honored with the prestigious “Touching China” (感动中国) award for 2025, CCTV News reported. The recognition marks a rare instance of a law enforcement unit receiving the award, underscoring the Chinese government’s prioritization of protecting citizens from cross-border crime.

The “Touching China 2025 Annual Figures Award Ceremony” is scheduled to air on July 14, 2026, at 21:30 on CCTV-13, and will be simultaneously streamed on CCTV News, Yangshipin, CCTV.com, and other new media platforms, according to The Paper.

Background: The Northern Myanmar Crime Crisis

Northern Myanmar, particularly the Kokang self-administered zone in Shan State, had long been a hub for transnational organized crime targeting Chinese citizens. The region’s complex political landscape, characterized by multiple armed groups and limited central government control, allowed powerful family-based criminal syndicates to operate large-scale telecom fraud compounds, gambling operations, and human trafficking networks with impunity.

These syndicates — known collectively as the “Four Great Families” (四大家族) — included the Bai, Wei, Liu, and Ming families. They ran extensive criminal enterprises that ensnared thousands of Chinese victims through fraudulent investment schemes, fake online gambling platforms, and other scams.

The Crackdown: A Landmark Operation

In July 2023, the Ministry of Public Security launched a special operation against crimes targeting Chinese citizens in northern Myanmar. The scale of the operation was unprecedented: over 57,000 Chinese nationals suspected of telecom fraud were apprehended through joint China-Myanmar operations, and the “Four Great Families” syndicates were dealt a devastating blow.

According to China Youth Daily, the task force’s work revealed staggering figures. The Wei family syndicate alone was linked to 8 Chinese citizen deaths, fraud funds exceeding 5 billion yuan, and gambling funds exceeding 9 billion yuan. The Liu family syndicate was involved in fraud funds exceeding 2.6 billion yuan and gambling funds exceeding 8 billion yuan.

Key milestones in the operation included:

• October 1, 2023: Chinese police captured 9 key suspects, including Wei Qingtao and Liu Zhengqi, at the Yunnan border
• December 2023: Public wanted notices were issued for syndicate leaders Wei Huairen and Liu Zhengxiang
• January 30, 2024: Myanmar police transferred Wei Huairen, Liu Zhengxiang, and Liu Zhengmao to Chinese authorities
• October 2025: All “Four Great Families” cases entered judicial proceedings

The Human Cost

The brutality of the syndicates was extreme. The Wei family criminal syndicate, as China Youth Daily detailed, “long used fraud to fund their armed forces and used armed forces to protect their fraud operations, implementing armed control and protection over gambling and fraud compounds.” Low-level telecom fraud workers who failed to meet performance targets faced violent abuse, torture, and even murder.

Significance of the Award

The inclusion of a police task force in the “Touching China” awards is notable. Now in its 23rd year, the CCTV-produced program has historically recognized individuals from diverse fields — scientists, athletes, teachers, and ordinary citizens. Recognizing a law enforcement task force signals official acknowledgment of the severity of the northern Myanmar crime problem and the government’s commitment to citizen protection.

As CCTV News described the award’s mission: “As a classic CCTV brand accompanying audiences for 23 years, ‘Touching China’ has always stayed true to its original mission, conveying strength, closely following the main theme of national development, focusing on the new journey of the era.”

International Cooperation and Future Challenges

The operation relied heavily on China-Myanmar police cooperation, with Myanmar authorities transferring key suspects across the border. Chinese police teams made four trips into active conflict zones in Myanmar to gather evidence, while officers across 28 Chinese provinces interviewed tens of thousands of victims.

All cases of the “Four Great Families” have now entered judicial proceedings. However, questions remain about whether new criminal networks will emerge in the power vacuum left by the crackdown, and what measures are being taken to prevent the resurgence of such syndicates in the region.

What’s Next

The “Touching China” award ceremony will air tonight, bringing national attention to the task force’s work. For the families of the victims and the tens of thousands of individuals rescued from fraud compounds, the recognition represents a measure of justice. For Chinese authorities, the challenge now shifts to sustaining the momentum against cross-border crime and ensuring that the hard-won gains in northern Myanmar are not reversed.