1st Edition

The Politics of Cross-border Crime in Greater China Case Studies of Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao

By Sonny Shiu-Hing Lo Copyright 2009

    Organized crime has been on the rise in the Greater China region since the People's Republic opened up its economy and society in the mid-1980s. Today, triads from Hong Kong, Macao, and even Taiwan are involved in businesses in Guangdong Province, and often recruit local Chinese for illegal activities such as extortion, kidnapping, assassinations, and smuggling of illegal aliens.This book provides a detailed and comprehensive study of how the state at the central and local levels has responded to the changing patterns and activities of cross-border crime in Greater China. It discusses the theoretical concept of organized crime; the transnational nature of organized crime in recent years; the significance of studying organized crime in Greater China; and the implications for the national security of other countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.The author reviews the history of organized crime and secret societies, and addresses the legal complexities of dealing with criminal groups in the region. He covers such topics as money laundering, the financing of terrorist activities, and regional efforts in fighting terrorism.

    List of Tables -- List of Abbreviations -- Series Editors’ Foreword -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- 1. Types and Patterns of Transborder Crime in Greater China -- 2. The PRC State Response at National, Provincial, and Local Levels -- 3. Cross-Border Crime and the Postcolonial State in Hong Kong -- 4. Response of the Postcolonial State in Macao -- 5. Espionage and Terrorism -- 6. Intergovernmental and Regional Cooperation -- 7. Conclusion -- Notes -- Glossary -- Bibliography -- Index -- About the Author and About the Series Editors

    Biography

    Sonny Shiu-Hing Lo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Scienceat the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. He formerly taught at the Universityof East Asia (Macao), Hong Kong Lingnan College, the Hong Kong University ofScience and Technology, and the University of Hong Kong. He is also the author ofPolitical Development in Macao (1995), The Politics of Democratization in HongKong (1997), Governing Hong Kong: Legitimacy, Communication and Political Decay(2001), Political Change in Macao (2008), and The Dynamics of Beijing-Hong KongRelations: A Model for Taiwan? (2008).