Human Trafficking in Cambodia: A Growing Cambodia-China Link

1. Overview

Human trafficking in Cambodia is increasing in both scale and complexity. While Cambodia has long been identified as a source, transit, and destination country for trafficking — especially of women and children — recent reports highlight an alarming rise in the involvement of Chinese-linked networks and individuals. phnompenhpost.com+3Human Trafficking Search+3Phnom Penh Post+3

2. Key Trends & Data

• In 2024 Cambodian authorities reported 197 trafficking- and sexual exploitation-related cases — up from 164 in 2023. phnompenhpost.com+1
• In those cases, 273 suspects were arrested (including 30 foreigners). Xinhua News
• A notable surge: 2,695 Chinese nationals were deported in 2024 from Cambodia in connection to trafficking or related cross-border crimes — more than double the number from 2023. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre+1
• Nearly 100 Cambodian trafficking victims (mostly women and girls) were repatriated from China in 42 cases in 2025 so far. phnompenhpost.com+1

3. The Cambodia–China Link: What’s Going On?

a) Forced Marriages & Labor in China

There are documented cases of Cambodian women being trafficked to China under the pre-text of employment or marriage:

• One woman described being lured to Shanghai with job promises only to be told she must marry a Chinese man or face insurmountable debt. Radio Free Asia
• Many of the victims are rural women, promised better salaries, but end up in abusive forced-marriage situations. Radio Free Asia

b) Chinese-Led Scam Compounds in Cambodia

Another major pattern: Cambodia hosting large compounds where primarily Chinese-led criminal networks operate, exploiting victims trafficked from Asia and beyond, often including Chinese nationals themselves:

• A report by Amnesty International identifies 53 scam-compounds in Cambodia where trafficked individuals are held in prison-like conditions, forced into fraud operations. Amnesty International
• Victims report torture, debt bondage, confiscation of documents, and being compelled to run online scams (often targeting overseas victims) — many of the perpetrators and ringleaders are believed to be Chinese or China-linked. Amnesty International+1
• An external report states that such scam-compound operations may be tied to Chinese investments under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Cambodia. CECC

4. Why Is This Happening?

• Economic push & pull: Rural poverty in Cambodia pushes many young women (and men) to accept risky overseas job offers. Meanwhile, booming illegal online-fraud sectors (often Chinese-led) seek cheap, controllable labour.
• Weak regulation & complicity: Reports suggest Cambodian authorities have not effectively shut down exploitation hubs, and some operations proceed with impunity. Amnesty International
• Cross-border facilitation: China and Cambodia have longstanding ties; loose monitoring of migration, employment placement, and transnational crime creates space for trafficking.
• Language & recruitment: Many victims are lured via social media with promises of jobs abroad (China, other countries) or “marriages”— only to be exploited. phnompenhpost.com

5. Impact on Victims & Society

• Victims endure severe physical and psychological abuse, forced labour, sexual exploitation, debt bondage, and torture. Amnesty International+1
• The trafficking networks damage Cambodia’s social fabric, harm vulnerable populations (especially women and children), and undermine rule-of-law and governance.
• Internationally, Cambodia’s reputation suffers, foreign investment may be at risk, and victims’ rights are frequently violated.

6. Responses & Gaps

What’s being done

• The Cambodian government’s National Committee for Counter Trafficking (NCCT) reports increasing investigations and arrests. Xinhua News+1
• Cooperation with China on repatriation of victims: e.g., Chinese authorities repatriating Cambodian victims from China. phnompenhpost.com
• International advocacy: NGOs like Amnesty highlight the issue and call for action. Amnesty International+1

Where gaps remain

• Insufficient prosecution of high-level traffickers and ringleaders, especially those with transnational ties.
• Limited protection and rehabilitation for victims: many rescued victims do not receive adequate support.
• Transparency issues: Many scam-compounds continue to operate despite raids. Amnesty International
• Borderless crime: With Chinese-led networks, Cambodian enforcement alone struggles to tackle the transnational dimension.

7. What Needs to Be Done

• Enhance bilateral cooperation between Cambodia and China: joint investigations, extraditions, victim repatriation and legal accountability.
• Strengthen victim protection mechanisms: shelters, legal aid, psychosocial support, safe repatriation for foreign victims in Cambodia and Cambodian victims abroad.
• Increase transparency and accountability: publicize which compounds are shut, provide data on prosecutions, investigate alleged official complicity.
• Boost public awareness and prevention: Educate at-risk communities about deceptive overseas job offers & forced-marriage schemes.
• Regulate high-risk sectors: Online-fraud operations, repurposed casinos/hotels, employment brokers, must be regulated, inspected and shut down if complicit.

8. Conclusion

The involvement of China-linked actors in Cambodia’s human trafficking ecosystem — whether through forced labour for scam compounds or forced marriages of Cambodian women in China — highlights a dangerous intersection of transnational crime, weak governance and vulnerable populations. Cambodia must step up enforcement, victim support and international collaboration. The world must watch closely: trafficking is not just a local issue, but a transnational crisis requiring global unity.