Cambodia will deport 21 Taiwan residents to the Chinese mainland, a senior Cambodian official said on Monday.

Taiwan officials were seeking to have them returned to the island, but Cambodia does not have official relations with Taiwan as it acknowledges the island to be part of one China.

Cambodia detained the 21 Taiwan residents along with 14 Chinese mainlanders in coordination with Chinese authorities, which are attempting to halt the proliferation of internet and phone extortion scams that have cost billions of dollars and driven some victims to suicide.