All walks of life should fully implement the law against telecom fraud and online fraud, with punishment to those who cheat others through artificial intelligence, an official from the Standing Committee of National People's Congress, the top legislature said on Sunday.

"Using AI to defraud is no different from traditional fraud," Zang Tiewei, spokesman of the NPC Standing Committee's Legislative Affairs Commission, told a news conference.

To strongly protect people's property rights and reduce their financial losses, the NPC Standing Committee adopted a law against telecom fraud and online fraud in September, and it came into effect on Dec 1.

As the country's first specialized law to fight telecom and online fraud, an issue frequently complained among public, it has clarified responsibilities and duties of departments in this regard, such as telecom enterprises and internet platforms, with punishment given to those who support such fraud.

Calling for every walk of life to fully implement the law, Zang said that people providing technical aids for AI fraudsters will face administrative punishment in accordance with the law, adding that those in serious situations also need to be held criminally liable in line with the Criminal Law.

"With rapid development of the internet technology, the fraudulent methods are constantly upgraded, which urges us to pay higher attention to online payment," he said, suggesting residents double check personal information of money receivers before transfer.

Law enforcement departments must strictly carry out the law, he added, requiring them to educate and help public enhance prevention awareness to keep away from telecom fraud and online fraud.