Malaysia deports 32 Taiwanese fraud suspects

Malaysian Army Special Forces personnel demonstrate a hostage-rescue operation during the opening day of 15th Defense Services Asia Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in this April 18, 2016 photo. (AP)

TAIPEI: Malaysia deported 32 Taiwanese fraud suspects to China Saturday, Taiwan authorities said, leaving the island’s government furious once more in the latest bout of cross-strait diplomatic sparring.
It comes after Taipei accused Beijing of “abducting” its citizens from Kenya earlier this month. The deportations are seen by observers as a shot across the bows of Beijing-sceptic Tsai Ing-wen, who will be inaugurated as Taiwan’s president on May 20.
“The government has filed solemn protests and regrets the development,” presidential office spokesman Charles Chen said of the deportations Saturday.
Taiwan would send a delegation to the mainland “as soon as possible” Chen said. The 32 suspects arrived in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou on Saturday night, Taiwan’s CNA reported.
They were part of a group of 52 Taiwanese detained by Malaysian police last month during five raids linked to telecom fraud, which also led to the arrests of 65 mainland Chinese and two Malaysians.