Beef up border vigil to end 'bride trade'

The European Commission set a good example in 2012 by presenting a five-year plan against human trafficking for European Union countries. According to the plan, all EU member states, supported by the European Police Office as well as non-governmental organizations, have to set up their own special organizations and shared investigation bodies to end human trafficking. The plan includes provisions for providing medical treatment to the victims, who also have the right to reside and work under both the EU and local laws.

Taking a cue from the EU plan, Chinese law enforcement officers should periodically raid trans-border "matrimonial agencies" and close them down if they are found guilty of human trafficking. Also, all related departments should be apprised of the developments and must be fully aware of their responsibilities in different cases.

In particular, law enforcement officers should take in Vietnamese women and children without proper papers or who are suspected of being abducted by human traffickers for investigation and registration (if needed). Also, Chinese border agencies need to be alert 24/7 to foil human traffickers from smuggling in "brides" from Vietnam.

And Chinese bachelors looking to get a bride from Vietnam have to be warned that "purchasing" a woman even for marriage is a crime, for which they will face criminal charges. They should also be warned about how some "agents" and "foreign brides" collude to cheat them in order to make them see reality.

The author is a professor of law at Southwest University of Political Science & Law in Chongqing.