China rescues over 1,100 foreign brides

Chinese police have rescued over 1,100 women from Southeast Asia who were "sold" as wives last year, authorities said yesterday.

More than 1,300 suspects, including 260 foreigners, were detained in the joint operations with police from Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand between July and December, the Ministry of Public Security said in a statement.

Beijing's decades-long one-child policy and a preference for boys has led to a shortfall of nearly 33 million women in China.

Largely driven by poverty, young women from the Mekong region have gambled on marriage in China. But some have fallen prey to "marriage scams" leaving them at risk of abuse, detention under Chinese immigration law or being forced into prostitution.