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Beijing urged Manila on Friday to immediately ban online gaming operations, saying these were a “social ill” that was harming the interests of both countries and were being linked to “baseless accusations” and smears against China.
Speaking through its embassy in the Philippines, China said the Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) industry had bred serious crimes like kidnapping, human trafficking, and murder.
The embassy said in a statement on Friday that a “vast majority” of Chinese nationals involved in the business were themselves victims of Pogos.
“Pogo is detrimental to both Philippine and Chinese interests and images as well as China-Philippines relations,” the Chinese Embassy said.
“We appeal to the Philippines to ban Pogo at an early date so as to root out this social ill,” it said. “And we firmly oppose any baseless accusation and smearing against China in connection with Pogo.”
A Chinese diplomat did not elaborate on what the accusations and smears were about, saying only that these had been “widely publicized in (Philippine) media.”
She was referring to growing concerns among some lawmakers and government officials who suspect that Chinese-run Pogos could be used to stage cyberattacks and spy on the Philippine government, undermining its national security amid the escalating maritime conflict between the two countries in the South China Sea.
