An airlift carrying more than 1,000 Chinese nationals who had worked at online scam centers in eastern Myanmar began Thursday, after the rescued workers were taken across the border to Thailand and put on chartered flights to China.

China will fly home about 200 of its nationals found in scam-running compounds on the Thai-Myanmar border, a Thai security official said on Tuesday, as part of a multinational effort to crack down on illegal online operations run from the region.

China expressed appreciation on Friday for the strong steps taken by Thailand and Myanmar to dismantle scam gangs and protect the life and property of citizens from China and other countries, while pledging to safeguard the safety and well-being of its overseas citizens.