Nepal Cracks Down On ‘Bride Buying’ Racket Targeting Women For China Marriages

Nepal has launched a major crackdown on what authorities describe as a “bride buying” racket involving Chinese brokers and vulnerable young women. Immigration officials recently found Nepali women living with Chinese nationals in Kathmandu, who allegedly filmed them and shared the videos on social media in China. While four Chinese citizens were deported for visa violations, investigators say evidence fell short for criminal charges. Even China’s embassy in Nepal has warned its citizens against deceptive cross-border matchmaking, calling such practices illegal under Chinese law. The racket is fuelled by China’s severe gender imbalance, leaving millions of men unable to find partners. Nepali authorities stress this is not matchmaking but human trafficking disguised as marriage — and say they are determined to stop it.