chinese tourist abducted in sabah

S$14m ransom sought for Chinese woman in Sabah kidnap case

Advertisement.

KUALA LUMPUR — Gunmen have demanded a ransom of 500 million pesos (S$14 million) for the release of a Chinese tourist abducted last week from a Malaysian resort off Borneo island, a Malaysian minister said yesterday.

The gunmen, believed to be Abu Sayyaf militants, kidnapped a 28-year-old Shanghai woman and a 40-year-old Filipino woman from the Singamata Reef Resort in the eastern Malaysian state of Sabah on April 2.

The Philippine authorities believe the women were taken to the island township of Simunul in Tawi-Tawi, the country’s southernmost province. Sabah, a popular tourist destination, is just a short boat ride from the southern Philippines, home to Muslim militants and kidnap gangs.

“The kidnapper, or kidnappers, for that matter, have asked (for) about 500 million pesos ... worth of ransom (for the Chinese tourist),” Malaysian Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said on private television station TV3.

“We have sent our team, the police and the negotiators ... to negotiate the reduction of ransoms,” he said. No ransom was sought for the Filipino woman, who was working at the resort, he said. An aide confirmed Dr Zahid’s comments and said investigations were ongoing.

Mr Mohammad Mentek, a senior Sabah security official, said the kidnappers have made telephone contact with the family of Chinese victim Gao Huayuan, but declined to say whether a ransom demand has been made.

However, a security official who monitors Muslim militant activities in the southern Philippines confirmed that a ransom demand was made.

In the kidnappings, seven men armed with rifles, four of them masked, arrived at the resort on a speedboat and fled with the two women, the Malaysian police said.

China’s ties with Malaysia have come under stress recently because of anger among Chinese over the search for a missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner carrying 153 Chinese passengers.

The Abu Sayyaf, a militant Muslim group, had previously carried out other seaborne kidnappings for ransom in the region.

In 2000, Abu Sayyaf gunmen snatched 21 European tourists and Malaysian and Filipino workers from Malaysia’s Sipadan Diving Resort and took them to the southern Philippines, where they were released in exchange for large ransom payments.

In November, suspected Abu Sayyaf militants killed a Taiwanese tourist and kidnapped his wife from another Sabah resort. The woman was released a month later in the southern Philippines. AP

Read more of the latest in

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.

Recent Searches

This browser is no longer supported.

We know it's a hassle to switch browsers but we want your experience with TODAY to be fast, secure and the best it can possibly be.

To continue, upgrade to a supported browser or, for the finest experience, download the mobile app.

Upgraded but still having issues? Contact us

My Feed has moved! Go to More > My Feed Go to Menu > More > My Feed to follow your favourite topics

Kidnapped Chinese tourist returns home to family

• Share on Twitter
• Share on WhatsApp
• E-mail this article
• 0 Engagements

The Chinese tourist who was kidnapped in April from a resort in Sabah arrived in Kuala Lumpur today, according to the Chinese Consulate in Malaysia.

Miss Gao Haoyun, 29, was released by her Abu Sayyaf kidnappers on Friday. 

According to Malaysian newspaper The Star, a security official said that with the help of their Philippines counterparts, two Malaysian officers were sent to the southern Philippine island of Jolo to escort the Chinese national as well as the Filipina who was also abducted in April. 

Police said Miss Gao caught a connecting flight to Shanghai from Kuala Lumpur at 9am this morning. 

"We have arranged for her (Gao) to meet her family there as soon as possible. She already left this morning," said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar.

"As for the Filipina, we will see first as we are still checking her documents."

An official from the Chinese Consulate in Malaysia told Xinhua that there was no problem with the girl’s health condition.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said on his Twitter account that there was no ransom paid to secure the two victims’ release.

The two women were abducted by a group of gunmen from a resort in Semporna, Sabah on April 2.

Sources: The Star, Xinhua

Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store  or Google Play Store now

• Share on Facebook

• The Star ePaper
• Subscriptions
• Manage Profile
• Change Password
• Manage Logins
• Manage Subscription
• Transaction History
• Manage Billing Info
• Manage For You
• Manage Bookmarks
• Package & Pricing

Body of missing Chinese tourist found

• Sabah & Sarawak

Saturday, 07 Oct 2023

Related News

Power theft raids uncover illegal activity in four Sabah districts

Masidi slams sabah opposition, says state's sukuk fund not another 1mdb, international initiative to help kids in sabah oil palm estates.

KOTA KINABALU: Rescue workers have found the body of a Chinese tourist, some 15 hours after the man was reported to have gone missing while snorkelling at an island resort off the east coast Semporna district.

Semporna Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director Commander Amir Shubli said the victim, identified as Lin Jun Yong, 25, had gone snorkelling with a friend at Bum-Bum island at 5.15pm on Thursday.

A search and rescue operation was launched around midnight after initial efforts by resort workers failed to locate him.

“The victim’s body was found near Dataran Lepa at 10.40am today (yesterday) by a MMEA patrol boat,” he said in a statement.

“The remains were brought to the Guru Jetty on Semporna mainland for a post-mortem,” he added.

Semporna police chief Supt Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah said the victim and his friend had snorkelled without wearing safety jackets as they thought they could swim without it.

The two were out in the sea some 10m to 15m from the resort jetty.

Supt Mohd Farhan said the friend decided to return to the resort after he failed to locate the victim at 5.15pm.

“The tide was high when they were snorkelling,” he said, adding that the CCTV at the jetty area was not functioning.

People who witnessed the incident are advised to contact the investigating officer Asst Supt Mohammad Ali Amat at 013-2120852, the district police at 089-782020 or their nearest police station.

Tags / Keywords: TAGS: Drowning , Chinese Tourist , Semporna , Snorkelling , Safety Jackets

Found a mistake in this article?

Report it to us.

Thank you for your report!

Harmonising urban biodiversity and people

Next in nation.

Trending in News

Air pollutant index, highest api readings, select state and location to view the latest api reading.

• Select Location

Source: Department of Environment, Malaysia

Others Also Read

Best viewed on Chrome browsers.

We would love to keep you posted on the latest promotion. Kindly fill the form below

Thank you for downloading.

We hope you enjoy this feature!

Chinese tourist Gao Hua Yuan, 29, who was rescued by Malaysian authorities after being abducted by seven-armed men last April, will be sent back to her country of origin today, said inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar.

Please join the Malaysiakini WhatsApp Channel to get the latest news and views that matter.

• COVID-19 Full Coverage
• Cover Stories
• Ulat Filipino
• Special Reports
• Personal Finance
• Other sports
• Pinoy Achievers
• Immigration Guide
• Science and Research
• Technology, Gadgets and Gaming
• Chika Minute
• Showbiz Abroad
• Family and Relationships
• Art and Culture
• Health and Wellness
• Shopping and Fashion
• Hobbies and Activities
• News Hardcore
• Walang Pasok
• Transportation
• Missing Persons
• Community Bulletin Board
• GMA Public Affairs
• State of the Nation
• Unang Balita
• Balitanghali
• News TV Live

Palace welcomes release of Pinay, Chinese abducted from Sabah

Malacañang on Saturday welcomed the “release” on Friday of a Filipina resort worker and a Chinese tourist who were abducted from Sabah last April. Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr also said the release indicates the Philippines' cooperation with its neighbors is bearing fruit. “Ikinalulugod natin ang balitang iyan. Hindi tayo tumitigil sa paglaban sa aksyon na ganyang kriminalidad na nakakaapekto sa imahe ng ating bansa,” Coloma said on government-run dzRB radio. He also lauded the cooperation between Philippine and Malaysian forces in resolving “cross-border” issues such as international crimes. “Maaring matukoy dito ang mainam na pakikipag-ugnayan ng ating bansa at kapit-bansa tulad ng Malaysia at Indonesia sa pagresolba ng ganoong usapin,” he said On Friday evening, Malaysian media reported Marcelita Dayawan, 40, and Gao Hua Yuan, 29 - were rescued Friday morning. The report said the two were rescued from Jolo at 10:30 a.m., then brought to the east coast of Sabah. Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib said both victims arrived there 4:30 p.m. On the other hand, the report did not say if the armed men behind the abduction were indeed from the Abu Sayyaf. Last April 2, armed men abducted Dayawan and Gao from the Singamata Adventures and Reef Resort. A separate report on Malaysia's Bernama news agency said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak claimed no ransom was paid. He also thanked the security forces for successfully securing the release of the two victims, adding the government was taking steps to facilitate the return of the Chinese home. "I have just been briefed by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) that the two women abducted from a resort in Sabah last April had been rescued by our authorities. No ransom was paid to secure their release," he said . "Many thanks to the Philippine security forces for the assistance and hard work in the release of two victims kidnapped from Semporna, Sabah. Congratulations to the Special Branch @PDRMsia, on the continued hard work that succeeded in releasing the two hostages. The victims were in good health," he said. — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News

KUALA LUMPUR/BEIJING (Apr 3): China demanded that Malaysia ensures the safety of its nationals on Thursday, after armed men abducted two women, a Chinese tourist and a Philippine hotel worker, from a Malaysian diving resort on Borneo island.

The unidentified gunmen kidnapped the two women on Wednesday night from Singamata island off the coastal town of Semporna in Malaysia's eastern state of Sabah.

Some Malaysian media reports said the 29-year old tourist was in her room when the gunmen forced her out into a waiting boat. Those reports were unclear where the hotel worker, aged 40, was when she was abducted. Other reports said both women were on a jetty when they were snatched.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a regular news briefing in Beijing that its consulate in Malaysian Borneo had demanded "that local police fully put into effect rescue work on the basis of guaranteeing safety and to ensure the safety of Chinese tourists there."

"The Chinese foreign ministry will pay close attention to how the situation develops," he added.

Malaysia's image has been battered in China over the handling of the investigation into the disappearance of a Malaysia Airlines flight with 239 people aboard, most of them Chinese nationals, on March 8.

Relations have become strained between the two countries. Chinese media has heavily criticised Malaysia's response, and travel agents there have reported a slump in bookings to the Southeast Asian nation.

Malaysian media quoted Prime Minister Najib Razak as saying he did not rule out the possibility that the kidnapping in Sabah was an attempt to sour ties between China and Malaysia.

"There may be those who are attempting to drive a wedge between us and China," Malaysia's The Star newspaper quoted Najib as saying during his visit to Australia, where he was observing search operations for the airliner.

Popular tourist spot Malaysian security forces have launched rescue operations and were checking getaway routes that the kidnappers may have used, a security official told Reuters.

Maritime enforcement and anti-kidnapping forces in neighboring Philippines were working with their Malaysian counterparts to quickly resolve the case, the Philippines embassy in Kuala Lumpur said.

"The embassy has alerted Philippine police authorities in nearby areas for possible interdiction, in the event the perpetrators and their victims were headed their way," it said in a statement.

Sabah has become a popular tourist destination for Chinese in recent years, but has faced security problems due to its proximity to the restive southern Philippines where Muslim rebels have fought the government for decades and sprouted multiple armed splinter groups.

Last February, more than 100 armed Filipinos landed by boat and launched attacks on Malaysian security forces, sparking a major security crisis in the area close to the Singamata resort.

In November, armed men landed on nearby Pom-Pom island off Semporna, killing a tourist from Taiwan and abducting his wife. She was later rescued by Philippine security forces.

Sabah made world headlines in 2000 when Philippines-based, al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militant group, known for kidnapping and beheading hostages, abducted about 20 Malaysian and Western tourists on Sipadan island - not far from Singamata island. All but one of the hostages, a Filipino, were eventually released and rescued by Philippines security forces.

Copyright © 1999-2023 The Edge Communications Sdn. Bhd. 199301012242 (266980-X). All rights reserved

Malaysia urged to rescue kidnapped tourist

Beijing is urging malaysian authorities to rescue a chinese tourist who has been kidnapped along with a filipina by gunmen at a popular diving spot..

(Photo: West China Metropolis Daily on weibo)

Share this with family and friends

Recommended for you

El Niño is forecast to swing to La Niña. What does that mean for Australia's weather?

The treasured passport addition that could soon be much harder to get

The 'critical life skill' many Australian women and girls are missing out on

The COVID-19 vaccine Australians can't get

Immunisation

$150 million richer: Search for historic Powerball winner as jackpot goes unclaimed

Tanya Plibersek caught on hot mic: 'Don't say anything horrible about James Paterson'

'Unintended consequence': How Gina Rinehart fell victim to the 'Streisand effect'

Australia's worst state for schoolyard bullying — and how we compare to the world

Education issues

Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from australia and around the world direct to your inbox..

Morning (Mon–Fri)

Afternoon (Mon–Fri)

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

SBS World News

Chinese tourists overtake Koreans in Sabah

Liew (second right) receiving a Xiamen Airlines’ Boeing 787-9 plane model from Gao. Looking on are Tay (right) and Li (left).

KOTA KINABALU (May 31): China has overtaken South Korea as the largest source of international arrivals to Sabah for the first four months of this year (January-April, 2024), said Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Christina Liew.

Based on statistics from the Sabah Tourism Board’s (STB) Research Division, she said of the total of 396,584 international arrivals for the said period, 135,855 visitors were from China, registering an increase of 1489.3 per cent compared to the same period in 2023.

She disclosed this during a courtesy call by the general manager of Xiamen Airlines, Kuala Lumpur Office, Gao Ya Shuang, and its sales manager Li Changzhao on Wednesday.

Gao briefed the minister on Xiamen Airlines’ plans to resume scheduled flights from Fuzhou (capital of Fujian Province) to Kota Kinabalu from June 27.

Welcoming the duo to Sabah, Liew said a further surge in international arrivals from China is foreseeable for the rest of the year after June.

“I understand that Fuzhou is one of the main bases of Xiamen Airlines, and from here, one can travel to major cities in all provinces in China.

“Kota Kinabalu is one of its many international destinations. This Fuzhou-Kota Kinabalu route is yet another avenue to bring visitors from China to Sabah, and I am confident that it will be a sustainable route,” she said.

Gao recalled that the first route opened by Xiamen Airlines in Sabah was from Fuzhou to Kota Kinabalu starting in January 2017. However, the flight service was discontinued in January 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“To date, we have carried 135,000 round-trip passengers. We are optimistic of achieving success in our plan to expand to Sabah as there is undoubtedly market demand for the Fuzhou-Kota Kinabalu route,” she said.

Gao said the inauguration of the Fuzhou-Sabah route will allow people in Sabah to fly directly to China while also making it easier for Sarawak travellers to travel to China via Kota Kinabalu.

“This is because the flying time from Sabah to Fuzhou is shorter as compared to flying to Fuzhou from Kuala Lumpur – hence Sarawak passengers can save time travelling to Fuzhou via Kota Kinabalu. The Fuzhou-Sabah route could also encourage people from Sarawak to transit in Kota Kinabalu,” she explained.

Gao informed Liew that this year, Xiamen Airlines will begin providing transit accommodation services to passengers whose transit duration in Fuzhou is six-24 hours.

“This move is to ensure comfortable transit experience for clients. The market we serve goes beyond Sabah and Fuzhou to the rest of East Malaysia and China, with more convenient transfer services from our primary base in Fuzhou. The market potential is tremendous.”

According to Gao, Sabah is a famous travel destination among China tourists, particularly the east coast town of Semporna with its island resorts, diving spots and fresh seafood.

“As far as Xiamen Airlines is concerned, these attractions are Sabah’s biggest selling-point. In fact, during peak season, it is difficult to get room accommodation in Semporna,” she lamented.

During the meeting, Gao suggested that Xiamen Airlines join forces with Sabah Tourism Board (STB) to promote Sabah in those provinces in China that have not heard about this tourist destination.

Saying Xiamen Airlines has branches or sales offices in various provinces in China, she said: “If the Sabah Tourism Board requires Xiamen Airlines’ support in terms of promotion, our representatives in different locations can collaborate and link the appropriate travel agencies to the Board.

“Xiamen Airlines can collaborate with the Sabah Tourism authorities to jointly carry out promotion activities in major cities in China to attract more visitors to immerse themselves in the beauty of Sabah.”

Xiamen Airlines also has its own media agency that can promote Sabah via its many media platforms, including the Internet and on board, Gao added.

Also present were the Ministry’s Political Secretary Vivien Lee and STB Deputy Chief Executive Officer Tay Shu Lan.

Sponsored links

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

4 Iowa instructors teaching at a Chinese university were attacked at a park

• Copy Link copied

MOUNT VERNON, Iowa (AP) — Four Iowa college instructors teaching in China were attacked in a reported stabbing while visiting a public park, Cornell College and the U.S. State Department confirmed Monday.

Cornell College President Jonathan Brand in a statement said the instructors were at the park with a faculty member from Beihua University when the attack occurred. Cornell spokesperson Jen Visser in an email said the private school in Mount Vernon partners with Beihua University near Jilin City in northeastern China.

The State Department said in a statement that it is aware of reports of a stabbing and that it is monitoring the situation. Details on the extent of the instructors’ injuries and whether the attack was targeted or random were unclear Monday. Visser said the college was still gathering information on what happened.

U.S. Rep. Mariannette Jane Miller-Meeks of Iowa wrote in a social media post that she was trying to reach the U.S. Embassy to ensure the victims get good health care and return to the U.S. as soon as possible.

The attack happened as both Beijing and Washington are seeking to maintain people-to-people exchange to prevent bilateral relations from falling off.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has unveiled a plan to invite 50,000 young Americans to China in the next five years, while Chinese diplomats say a travel advisory by the U.S. State Department has discouraged Americans from going to China.

Citing arbitrary detentions as well as exit bans that could prevent Americans from leaving the country, the State Department has issued the Level 3 travel advisory — the second highest warning level — for mainland China, urging Americans to “reconsider travel” there. Some American universities have suspended their China programs due to the travel advisory.

World News | Retired LA sheriff’s deputy, Dutch tourist…

Share this:.

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on X (Opens in new window)

Daily News e-Edition

Evening e-Edition

• E-Newspaper
• National News
• Puzzles & Games

World News | Retired L.A. sheriff’s deputy, Dutch tourist disappear in Greece during blistering heatwave

Albert Calibet, a 59-year-old from California, vanished sometime Tuesday afternoon shortly after he embarked on a four-hour hike on the Greek island of Amorgos. He was last seen traveling along a route toward the village of Katapola, according to a statement on the Amorgos municipality’s official Facebook page.

In the days since, several agencies have joined the search for Calibet, including volunteers from the coast guard and crews from the nearby islands of Paros and Naxos, according to Greek public broadcaster ERT News. They’re also using a drone to search the more northern part of the island.

Calibet — a former cop and seasoned hiker — has been journeying to Amorgos “almost every year” for about a decade, Popi Despotidi, Amorgos’ deputy mayor of tourism, told CNN on Thursday.

His brother Alex Calibet said he’s particularly concerned given the hot weather currently scorching most of Greece. According to the Hellenic National Meteorological Service, the heatwave was set to peak on Thursday, and the agency as a result has issued an orange alert, its second-most serious designation.

“We’re almost on three days here,” Alex Calibet told Fox 11. “There’s no water… I’m very distraught.”

A search was also underway on the island of Samos for a 74-year-old Dutch tourist who has been missing since Sunday. He disappeared while hiking in the Marathokampou area of the island, the Hellenic Rescue Team of Samos said in a post on Facebook. The efforts include “police, fire brigade and volunteers,” Konstantia Dimoglidou, a spokeswoman for the Greek police, told CNN.

“Unfortunately, so far we have no news about either of them,” she added.

The separate searches come after the discovery of the body of British TV personality Michael Mosley, who went missing while strolling in high temperatures on the Greek island of Symi earlier this month.

Mosley, a television doctor who popularized a type of intermittent fasting called the 5:2 Diet, was found dead on Sunday and an autopsy showed that he died from natural causes. Authorities believe he died on June 6, just hours after taking off on his walk.

More in World News

World News | US sub pulls into Guantanamo Bay after Russian warships arrive in Cuba

Entertainment | Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have become royal ‘side show’ as A-listers lose interest, report says

National News | 8 suspects with alleged ties to ISIS arrested in NYC, Philly, L.A.

Father of Oct. 7 Hamas massacre victims says widely condemned NYC protest “killed me again”

Four U.S. college educators stabbed in park in China, officials say

Four educators from Cornell College in Iowa were stabbed during a trip to Beihua University in Jilin, China, authorities said. Police said they arrested a man.

Four instructors from Cornell College in Iowa were stabbed during a teaching visit to China, officials said Tuesday.

The educators were visiting Beihua University in the northeastern city of Jilin and were attacked in the city’s Beishan Park on Monday, authorities said. Jilin police said they were alerted to the attack at 11:49 a.m.

Jilin police said in a Tuesday statement that they arrested a 55-year-old local man with the surname Cui after an investigation. They said the man “collided” with a foreigner, then proceeded to stab that person alongside three other foreign nationals there, as well as a Chinese tourist who stepped forward to stop him. The police did not name the foreign nationals but said they came from Cornell College and were invited to teach at Beihua.

Details on the four instructors’ identities and injuries have not been publicly released, but both Jilin police and the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday they were taken to the hospital and none of them were in critical condition.

The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Washington Post early Tuesday morning but told the Associated Press it was aware of reports of a stabbing and was monitoring the situation.

GET CAUGHT UP Stories to keep you informed

Judge calls DeSantis ban on transgender care unconstitutional

Jerry West, NBA legend who helped the Lakers dominate, dies at 86

Virginia school board sued after reinstating Confederate school names

Joey Chestnut barred from Nathan’s hot dog contest over Impossible Foods deal

8 things to know before you renovate your home for the first time

Footage verified by Reuters and viewed by The Post showed at least three people, all conscious and lying on the ground with blood around them and on at least one of their bodies, as they are surrounded by onlookers.

Chinese police believe the attack to be an “isolated incident,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said during a news conference Tuesday. He added that “cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States serve the common interests of both sides and have been positively supported by various sectors of the two countries.”

“China is widely considered one of the safest countries in the world,” he said.

In a statement shared with The Post, Cornell College President Jonathan Brand said the four instructors “were injured in a serious incident during a daytime visit to a public park while accompanied by a faculty member of the partner institution,” adding that the college is in contact with all four instructors. There were no students participating in that program, he added.

Cornell College, a private liberal arts school in Mount Vernon, Iowa, has an educational partnership with Beihua University.

Iowa state Rep. Adam Zabner (D) wrote in a statement posted on Instagram on Tuesday morning that his brother, David, was “wounded in the arm during a stabbing attack” in Jilin. Zabner said his brother is a PhD student at Tufts University and was in China as part of a program with Cornell College and Beihua.

“I spoke to David a few minutes ago,” Zabner said. “He is recovering from his injuries and doing well.” He added: “My family is incredibly grateful that David survived this attack.”

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) called the attack “horrifying” and said she was in touch with the State Department. “Please pray for their full recovery, safe return, and their families here at home,” she posted on X .

Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) said she was “horrified that multiple Cornell College faculty members were brutally stabbed in China.” She added that her team was in communication with Cornell College and “will do everything in our power to bring these Iowans home safely.”

Mainstream news outlets in China did not appear to cover the news of the attack, but social media posts referencing “Jilin” and “Jilin Beishan Park” were among the top trending topics on the microblogging site Weibo on Tuesday, and posts with the hashtag “Jilin Beishan Park” had over 4 million views.

Relations between Beijing and Washington remain strained, with tensions over trade, Taiwan and security in the Indo-Pacific. However, the two countries have maintained student exchanges. The Post reported in March that there are fewer than 1,000 American students in China, down from more than 10,000 before the pandemic. In November, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to invite 50,000 young Americans to China as part of study exchange programs over the next five years.

Xi has personal memories of rural Iowa , having spent time there in 1985 on an agricultural program, living with an American host family.

Shibani Mahtani, Pei-Lin Wu and Christian Shepherd contributed to this report.

The Straits Times

• International
• Print Edition
• news with benefits
• SPH Rewards
• STClassifieds
• Berita Harian
• Hardwarezone
• Shin Min Daily News
• Tamil Murasu
• The Business Times
• The New Paper
• Lianhe Zaobao
• Advertise with us

‘Kidnapped’ Chinese tourist found in Bangkok mall after falling victim to scam

A 27-year-old woman from China feared to have been kidnapped in Thailand for a five million yuan (S$932,000) ransom has been found by police at a shopping mall in Bangkok.

Media outlet Bangkok Post reported that Ms Lu Xinlei was located at HomePro BangNa, a store in the city’s Bang Na district, on the evening of June 8.

Ms Lu, who lives in Shanghai with her family, had been reported missing on June 7 after her father received a demand to pay for her release on Chinese messaging app WeChat on the same day.

He was asked to pay five million yuan.

Upon receiving the ransom demand, her father kick-started a search, which found that although Ms Lu had bought a ticket to fly from Thailand to Singapore that day, there was no record of her leaving the country.

Her disappearance turned out to be part of a cyber kidnapping scam, according to Thai news outlets.

The Bangkok Post reported that Ms Lu, who worked for a Japanese property company, had received a call from scammers telling her that she had violated an anti-money laundering law.

The scammers, who claimed to be Japanese authorities, ordered her to transfer 17 million yen (S$146,000) for examination, depart Shanghai for either Thailand or Singapore, and not to contact her parents.

After arriving in Thailand on June 5, Ms Lu was ordered by scammers to change her SIM card and to regularly move to different hotels.

After Thai police found her, she was taken to Bangkok’s Phra Khanong police station where she reunited with her mother and sister, who had flown in from China fearing she had been kidnapped.

A spokesperson for the Thai police assured the public that Ms Lu was safe and unharmed, reported online media outlet Thaiger.

The spokesperson said: “We believe the scammers tricked both the victim and her family.

“There was no real kidnapping involved.”

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

• Kidnap/Abduction

Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards

Spin the wheel now