On August 30, the Chinese Ministry of Education issued a rare travel advisory for studying in the Philippines, citing a continuous high incidence of malicious cases against Chinese citizens; on the same day, the Consular Protection Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also reminded Chinese citizens to be vigilant against risks.
The Philippines, originally attractive for its low tuition fees and lenient admission requirements, now suffers from frequent kidnappings and murders, earning it the notorious title of "Kidnapping Capital of Asia."
The kidnapping chain in the Philippines involves ordinary gangs as well as Chinese acting as "insiders," targeting wealthy businessmen, white-collar workers, and even students. A notable case was the shocking 2025 "Guo Congyuan case" in China and the Philippines: the "Steel King" paid a ransom of 210 million pesos but was still brutally murdered, reflecting the industrialization of kidnapping.
Chinese Filipinos make up only 2% of the population but control about eighty percent of the wealth. Chinese businessmen are often seen as "easy targets," and over the past decade, the proportion of kidnappings involving Chinese has been significantly higher than other ethnic groups. In 2023, nearly thirty percent of the 92 reported kidnapping cases involved Chinese citizens. Alarmingly, kidnappers now target not only wealthy businessmen but also tourists, expatriates, and even bloggers, with increasingly brutal methods ranging from impersonating police officers to killing victims even after receiving ransom.
After 2015, China's crackdown on online gambling pushed a large number of operators into the Philippines. With POGO licenses, low regulation, and convenient payment systems, the Philippines once hosted tens of thousands of Chinese gambling employees. However, the gambling industry's gray ecology—massive cash flows, reliance on underground banks and cryptocurrencies—provides fertile ground for criminal groups. Kidnappers quickly realized that Chinese are "wealthy and compliant," thus forming a mature model of "kidnap for ransom." Ransoms are often settled in USDT, making it difficult for police to track. The gambling industry is criticized as a breeding ground for crime, its derivative industry chain not only funnels funds but also creates a large "high-value target group," directly fueling kidnappings.
More disturbingly, the "police and robbers as one" has become an open secret. The Philippine Interior Minister admitted that many kidnapping cases involve active police officers, even military personnel. In some cases, drivers and maids act as "insiders," directly selling employer information to kidnappers. The mastermind behind the Guo Congyuan case, Gong Wenli, is a typical "Chinese insider," who used her understanding of her compatriots to deliver them into the hands of gangs. The proliferation of firearms further escalates the violence of crimes, with the number of illegal firearms far exceeding police control, often accompanying kidnappings with torture or murder.
In recent years, kidnappers have not only relied on cash but have become proficient in using cryptocurrencies like USDT for money laundering, making it difficult to trace cross-border ransom flows. Police have repeatedly discovered realistic masks, counterfeit uniforms, and encrypted wallets during arrests, indicating a trend towards more organized and professional kidnapping gangs. In the 2024 Batangas case, kidnappers even posed as police officers to abduct victims, demanding high ransoms in cryptocurrencies.
The root of the kidnapping problem in the Philippines lies in economic hardship and judicial corruption. Judicial inefficiency is common, with cases often dragging on for decades before resolution, making the cost of crime extremely low. Transparency International data shows that the Philippines has a corruption perception index score of only 34, ranking 115th globally. Long-term "3G politics" of Guns, Gold, and Gangs dominate society, with corruption permeating law enforcement and the judicial system, naturally fostering kidnappings.
Despite frequent kidnappings, some Chinese who have worked in the Philippines for many years emphasize "not to generalize." They believe that risks are concentrated in specific areas, while ordinary commercial districts and tourist islands remain relatively safe. Avoiding walking alone at night, not showing off wealth, and being cautious in social interactions are key to reducing risks.
The chaotic kidnapping situation in the Philippines not only reveals the dark chains of the gambling gray industry and corruption but also reflects the deep governance dilemmas of a country. For Chinese in the Philippines, this is both a survival crisis and an unavoidable social reality.
