Three women en route to China’s notorious bride-trafficking trade were intercepted at the Vietnam-China border, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said yesterday.

In a press release, the ministry said three young women were brought by brokers to the Mong Cai crossing in Quang Ninh province of northern Vietnam on April 28.

Brokers “attempted to send them to marry Chinese men in exchange for $1,500 to $2,000”, the release said.

On Friday, the Cambodian Embassy in Vietnam cooperated with Vietnamese police to rescue the women — a 20-year-old and a 19-year-old from Kampong Cham, and an 18-year-old from Kratie.

They are now in the care of the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation, which, according to its website, has rescued 254 women from forced marriage or brothels.

Would-be Chinese brides have been intercepted in Vietnam before, with another three Cambodian women repatriated in March.

“The collaboration between Vietnam and Cambodia has much improved in recent years,” said Joseph Arnhold, spokesman for anti-trafficking NGO Chab Dai in Cambodia.

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