Murder on the Mekong: The long arm of Chinese law

Abstract

China has long adhered to a principle of ‘non-interference’ in other states’ affairs. However, as more of its companies have been investing in projects overseas, and millions of its nationals are travelling abroad, Beijing is finding itself progressively involved in other countries – through the need to protect these interests and citizens.

During the turmoil of the Arab Spring in 2011, China was compelled to evacuate more than 35,000 Chinese workers and expatriates from Libya, and later it led the hunt for the killers of 13 Chinese sailors in the Golden Triangle region of the Mekong River. In 2015, Beijing sent a combat battalion to join the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, where it has huge oil ventures. Its plans to construct a New Silk Road will mean new commercial endeavours to protect in Pakistan.

The shift in Chinese foreign policy towards a more interventionist approach abroad has not been the result of grand strategy, but an adjustment to unfolding events. The large risk appetite of state-owned Chinese business is inexorably drawing the Chinese state into security hotspots, and as China becomes a great power its people are openly calling on their government to protect compatriots caught in crises overseas, including via military means. While much attention has focused on Beijing's increasingly assertive behaviour in disputed Asian seas, this book highlights another equally important area of change, with potentially far-reaching consequences for international security.

Notes

1 Wang Yunfan, ‘International judicial cooperation to continue after Naw Kham's execution’, Beijing Times, quoted in BBC Monitoring Service, 1 March 2013.

2 Andrew R.C. Marshall, ‘Special Report: In Mekong’, Chinese Murders and Bloody Diplomacy,’ Reuters, 27 January 2012.

3 Jeff Howe, Murder on the Mekong: A Notorious Pirate, a Global Superpower, and a Mystery in the Golden Triangle (Kindle Single published by Atavist, 2013). An extract is available at https://read.atavist.com/murderonthemekong; and ‘13 Chinese sailors killed after ships hijacked’, Indo Asian News Service, 10 October 2011. Estimates of the Hawngleuk militia's strength vary widely; see, e.g., ‘12 Chinese murdered in the Mekong River in Chiang Saen District – Murderers executed’, Bangkok Post, 9 October 2011; Malcolm Moore and David Eimer, ‘Mekong massacre trial begins in China’, Telegraph, 20 September 2012; and Brendan Hong, ‘How China Used Drones to Capture a Notorious Burmese Drug Lord’, Daily Beast, 17 April 2014.

4 ‘Chinese Foreign Ministry confirms killing of 11 nationals in Thailand’, Xinhua, 10 October 2011.

5 Ibid.

6 Josh Chin, ‘China Vows to Protect Chinese in Libya’, Wall Street Journal, 25 February 2011.

7 ‘Chinese Internet users flay sailors’ killing in Thailand by drug traffickers’, BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific, 10 October 2011.

8 ‘Thirteen lives lost in Mekong deserve more respect’, Global Times, 11 October 2011.

9 The Agreement on Commercial Navigation on the Lancang-Mekong River was signed in 2000 and began operation in 2001; see Thein Swe and Paul Chambers, Cashing In Across the Golden Triangle: Thailand's Northern Border Trade with China, Laos, and Myanmar (Chiang Mai, Thailand: Mekong Press, 2011), p. 33.

10 ‘State of the Basin Report 2010’, Mekong River Commission, Vientiane, 2010, p. 192, accessed at http://www.mrcmekong.org/assets/Publications/basin-reports/MRC-SOB-report-2010full-report.pdf.

11 Marshall, ‘Special Report: In Mekong, Chinese Murders and Bloody Diplomacy’.

12 ‘China sends patrol vessels to Thailand to bring back stranded ships’, Xinhua, 13 October 2011.

13 ‘Thailand, China to cooperate in probe into Mekong attack’, Xinhua, 17 October 2011.

14 ‘China urges Thailand, Laos, Burma to intensify probe into ship attack’, Xinhua, 13 October 2011.

15 ‘Watchful eye on Mekong River drug trade’, Global Times, 14 October 2011.

16 ‘All stranded Chinese sailors return to China after deadly attack’, Xinhua, 24 October 2011.

17 Jin Jianyu, ‘Mekong countries to boost river security cooperation’, Global Times, 31 October 2011.

18 ‘Chinese premier expresses sympathy with Thai flood victims, announces more aid’, Xinhua, 29 October 2011.

19 ‘Securing safety of Mekong’, China Daily, 13 October 2011.

20 ‘Watchful eye on Mekong River drug trade’, Global Times.

21 Zhang Jie ‘Meigonghe canan gei Zhongguo de tishi’ (What China learned from the cruel Mekong River murders), Dongfang Zaobao, (Oriental Morning Post), 17 October 2011.

22 ‘China-Laos-Myanmar-Thailand Meeting on Law Enforcement Cooperation along Mekong River held in Beijing’, China Central Television, 31 October 2011, available at http://english.cntv.cn/20111031/112051.shtml; ‘China, others to go after “criminals” along the Mekong’, Reuters, 31 October 2011; and ‘Joint Action To Secure Mekong’, Radio Free Asia, 31 October 2011.

23 Zhang Yan ‘Suspect stands trial on Mekong killings’, China Daily, 18 September 2012.

24 Ibid.

25 ‘Manhunt for deadly drug kingpin’, Global Times, 19 February 2013.

26 Jane Perlez and Bree Feng, ‘Beijing Flaunts Cross-Border Clout in Search for Drug Lord’, New York Times, 4 April 2013.

27 Ibid.

28 Howe, Murder on the Mekong.

29 Zhang, ‘Suspect stands trial on Mekong killings’.

30 ‘Mekong River suspect pleads guilty’, China Daily, 23 September 2012.

31 Richard S. Ehrlich, ‘Drug lord, gang admit killing Chinese sailors’, Washington Times, 26 September 2012.

32 Tom Fawthrop, ‘Murder on the Mekong’, Diplomat, 9 December 2011.

33 Jonathan Manthorpe, ‘Thai soldiers still awaiting trial for Mekong River murders’, Vancouver Sun, 17 March 2013; and Jonathan Head, ‘Mekong River trial murder mystery’, BBC News, 1 September 2012.

34 Jonathan Kaiman, ‘China executes four foreign nationals convicted of Mekong river murders’, Guardian, 1 March 2013.

35 Zhang Yan, ‘Mekong suspect denies plotting murders’, China Daily, 21 September 2012.

36 ‘Families of Mekong River attack victims compensated’, Xinhua, 8 March 2013.

37 Liu Chang, ‘Manhunt for deadly drug kingpin’, Global Times, 9 February 2013.

38 Ian Storey, ‘Mekong River Patrols in Full Swing but Challenges Remain’, China Brief (Jamestown Foundation), vol. 12, no. 4, 21 February 2012.

39 ‘Zhongguo xunluo meigonghe bianfang buduo huoli peibei bijiao qiangda’ (Significant firearm power for Chinese patrols on the Mekong River), Sina.com, 26 April 2013, accessed at http://slide.mil.news.sina.com.cn/slide_8_211_22998.html.

40 ‘Meigonghe lianhe xunluo yuanman wancheng’ (Successful end of joint Mekong River patrol), Beijing Zhenbao, 21 March 2015, accessed at http://society.people.com.cn/n/2015/0321/c136657-26727180.html.

41 ‘Mekong security in focus as China tries drug lord’, China Daily, 20 September 2012.

42 Storey, ‘Mekong River Patrols in Full Swing but Challenges Remain’.

43 Zhang Yan and Guo Anfei, ‘Forces from 4 countries save ships from hijackers’, China Daily, 20 September 2012.

44 Storey, ‘Mekong River Patrols in Full Swing but Challenges Remain’.

45 Zhang, ‘Suspect stands trial on Mekong killings’.

46 He Chunzhong, ‘Let justice be extended on behalf of the state’, China Youth Daily, 1 March 2013.

47 He Jingjun, ’Naw Kham's execution to boost protection of overseas citizens’, Beijing News, 1 March 2013.

48 Ding Gang, ‘China can gain prestige as SE Asia's drug cop’, Global Times, 13 October 2011.