Mastermind of Philippine Kidnap-Murder Case Liu Hanwen Handed Over by U.S. to Chinese Police
On July 20, 2026, at about 5 p.m., a civilian airliner landed at Beijing Capital International Airport, and Liu Hanwen, the principal suspect in a series of kidnappings and murders targeting Chinese citizens overseas, was handed over by the United States to Chinese police. The crimes took place in the Philippines: in June 2024, two medical-device professionals were invited to Manila for business talks, kidnapped shortly after landing, and killed even after their families paid the ransom. The alleged mastermind, who had fled to the United States, was returned to China two years later.
According to China's Ministry of Public Security, Liu was a major suspect who fled to the United States after the crimes. The ministry worked closely with law enforcement in the United States, the Philippines and South Korea, issued an Interpol red notice, and shared evidence with the U.S. side, which arrested Liu in October 2024 based on Chinese leads and evidence and returned him to China on July 20, 2026. A ministry official said the solving of the serial kidnapping-murder cases was another success of China-U.S. cooperation against transnational crime, and that Chinese police would pursue anyone who harms Chinese citizens to the end.
The case dates to June 2024. Xia Kefu, a Chinese citizen, was international marketing director of Suzhou Rainmed Medical Technology, and Sun Jing, a Chinese American, worked as a medical-device distributor. According to Caixin and other Chinese media, the two men had met a woman calling herself "Li Na," who claimed to be a Philippine medical-equipment dealer, at an industry conference in Europe, and accepted her invitation to explore the Philippine market. On June 20, 2024, they flew to Manila and were kidnapped shortly after their plane landed.
The kidnappers demanded 5 million yuan from the families, later reduced to 3 million yuan through negotiation. After the families paid, the kidnappers cut off contact. On June 24, the bodies of Xia and Sun were found beside a cliff in Sagñay, Camarines Sur Province, about 400 kilometers from Manila. A Philippine National Police spokesperson said at the time that police had identified eight persons of interest, five foreigners and three Filipinos.
"Li Na," whose real name is Chen Yu-hsuan and who held a Taiwan passport, was arrested in Seoul, South Korea, on September 22, 2024. Beijing police found that the gang led by Liu had repeatedly carried out kidnappings and murders targeting Chinese citizens in the Philippines, involving multiple serious cases. Caixin reported that Liu held fake identity documents from several countries and may have been involved in more than one kidnapping case.
Liu Hanwen is a suspect who has been handed over to China; the allegations against him are still to be tried by Chinese judicial authorities according to law.
Source: Ministry of Public Security of China
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：马尼拉尼诺伊·阿基诺国际机场一号航站楼内景。两名受害人2024年6月20日抵达该机场后不久被绑架。Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1, Manila. (Manila International Airport Authority, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
