As cross-border telecom and online fraud remain an issue, legislators are calling for strengthened international cooperation to fight such offenses more effectively by making a draft law addressing the problem more specific.

"It's essential to clarify how authorities, such as the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, can contribute to international efforts to combat telecom and online fraud, to make the joint effort more practical," said Wang Jiaocheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the top legislature.

He joined other national legislator in reviewing the draft law on Wednesday. The draft was submitted for a third review to the ongoing session of the NPC Standing Committee on Tuesday. In China, a draft will generally become a law after it is read three times.

The draft stipulates that Chinese government agencies should increase judicial cooperation with relevant countries and regions by establishing effective mechanisms to jointly promote the fight against telecom and online fraud.

Wang agreed to intensify international cooperation "because many scammers from other nations, including Philippines, Cambodia and Turkey, were found to have defrauded Chinese people," he said.

But the stipulation is too general, "which means it won't play a strong role in future cooperation," he said as he called for the top legislature to further specify the duties of the government departments in the draft.

For example, "it'll be better to say in the draft that police officers and those working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should set up a work mechanism in a timely manner with relevant countries and regions, creating and improving mutual aid policies and measures in law enforcement," he suggested.

Li Wei, another member of the NPC Standing Committee, highlighted the importance of working with other nations to tackle fraud, adding that "cooperation with international organizations should also be added in the draft."

In addition to government agencies, Chen Fuli, who is also an NPC Standing Committee member, said that procuratorates and courts should be included in the international anti-fraud cooperation team.

China has stepped up efforts to fight telecom and online fraud in recent years, particularly cross-border cases. The Ministry of Public Security said in June that there are still a large number of gangs in Cambodia, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, northern Myanmar, Turkey and other countries and regions committing fraud targeting Chinese residents.

About 20,000 people who intended to sneak abroad illegally to carry out telecom and online fraud were stopped by Chinese police from May to October last year, the ministry added.