Chinese Actor Followed by 20s Model Missing... Another Human Trafficking Case?

A famous Chinese actor was kidnapped by a criminal organization in Thailand and rescued in a horrific state, shocking many. Amid this, claims have emerged that the disappearance of a Chinese male model in his 20s is a similar case.

According to China Youth Daily on the 9th, the family of model Yang Zheqi (25) posted on social media the previous evening, "Yang Zheqi lost contact on the Thailand-Myanmar border on the 20th of last month," requesting help. Yang Zheqi's family stated that the circumstances are very similar to the case of actor Wang Xing (31), who went missing, and have reported it to the police.

Missing Chinese model Yang Zhechi. Photo by Yonhap News

Earlier, Wang Xing, who appeared in the movie "Ip Man 3" and the drama "Meiguidegosa" (The Story of the Rose), was deceived by a false claim that he would be filming a drama with a Thai production team. He arrived in Bangkok, Thailand, on the 3rd and then went missing near the Thailand-Myanmar border. This fact was widely known by his girlfriend and family, and the Thai police conducted an active investigation, leading to Wang Xing's rescue on the 7th.

Photos released by the Thai police showed Wang Xing with a shaved head, wearing a white tracksuit, unlike when he was active, and red marks on his legs presumed to be from assault, causing shock. The Thai police stated that Wang Xing appears to be a victim of human trafficking. It was also reported that Wang Xing testified he was kidnapped by a Chinese criminal organization.

The last area where Wang Xing lost contact was Mae Sot in northwestern Thailand, which is separated from Myawaddy, Myanmar, by a river. Myawaddy is known as a base for criminal organizations that engage in illegal online gambling and voice phishing targeting Chinese people. They are known to detain personnel in call centers and force them to participate in crimes.

The news of Wang Xing's rescue was followed by the report of Yang Zheqi's disappearance, which became the number one trending search term in China, attracting great attention. The Baoding police in Hebei Province announced that they have received the case of Yang Zheqi's disappearance. Chinese media, citing Thai media, reported that the Thai police have also started an investigation into this case.

After Wang Xing was found, 487 family members of 174 missing persons presumed to have been kidnapped by Myanmar criminal organizations wrote letters asking for help to find their younger brothers, sons, husbands, and fathers. The families of the missing believe that Wang Xing was released relatively quickly due to the active intervention of Thai authorities and appealed for assistance in rescue efforts. The exact number of Chinese people kidnapped by the Myawaddy-based criminal organization is unknown, but Wang Xing testified that about 50 people were detained in the same building as himself.