- By Supratik Das
- Mon, 26 May 2025 02:16 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh has issued a strong advisory to its nationals to desist from becoming victims of illegal cross-border marriages and online deceptive matchmaking networks. This advice has been issued as human trafficking concerns were on the rise, along with an increase in false marriages of Bangladeshi women. The embassy cautioned against the idea of "purchasing a foreign wife" and emphasised that such activities are not only immoral but also illegal according to Chinese law.
According to a statement published Sunday by the embassy and reported by the state-run Global Times, Chinese nationals are being misled by illegal matchmaking agents and online “cross-border dating” content, particularly on short video platforms. “These commercial matchmaking services are banned under Chinese law,” the embassy emphasized. “No individual or agency is allowed to engage in cross-border marriage matchmaking for profit or through deceptive means.”
Trafficking Worries As Demand for Foreign Brides Grows in China
The embassy warning coincides with China being gripped by a demographic crisis caused by decades of the one-child policy and male children in Chinese culture. This has created a chronic gender imbalance, leaving an estimated 30 million Chinese men unable to find spouses, often referred to as “leftover men”. It has fueled a disturbing trend of buying foreign brides. Criminal syndicates have taken advantage of this demand by recruiting women from Bangladesh and Pakistan to China on false pretexts of marriage, employment, or study.
Referring to a recent report by The Daily Star, the embassy admitted that Bangladeshi women are trafficked to China by criminal marriage rackets. The women are decoyed or forced into marrying Chinese men and then smuggled in. “Many of these marriages are arranged through illegal or exploitative means, and they pose serious legal and personal risks for both parties involved,” the embassy warned.
Legal Consequences In China And Bangladesh
The embassy also warned that those involved in arranging or mediating such marriages may be subject to severe legal penalties. Victims of these fraudulent schemes are encouraged to report immediately to China's public security authorities. In Bangladesh, human trafficking is also a criminal offense. According to the nation's Penal Code and Anti-Human Trafficking Act, traffickers may be sentenced for at least seven years, with the punishment running up to life imprisonment or even execution. Those facilitating or instigating such activity may get imprisoned for three to seven years and charged with fines of up to 20,000 taka (185 USD).
The Chinese embassy also flagged the use of platforms like TikTok and other social media apps by trafficking networks. In 2021, Dhaka Police arrested 11 suspects connected to a cross-border sex trafficking ring that recruited Bangladeshi women and girls via TikTok with promises of jobs and love in India and China, based on an Al Jazeera report. “Think twice before entering into any marriage abroad, especially in countries with complex legal processes like Bangladesh,” the embassy said. “Judicial proceedings here can be prolonged, with cases taking months or years to resolve, impacting personal freedom and family life.”