According to a CNN story, China has established more than 100 “overseas police stations” around the world to monitor, harass, and even repatriate Chinese nationals living in exile. 54 similar stations exist worldwide, according to Safeguard Defenders, a human rights advocacy group with offices in Madrid. The organization claims to have proof that China was running 48 more police stations in a recent study.
The “Patrol and Persuade” study also claims that China has made bilateral security agreements with various European and African nations in order to establish a more substantial presence abroad.
The report by the group focuses on the network’s size and the contribution that collaborative law enforcement efforts between China and various European countries have had to the spread of Chinese foreign stations. The countries in question include Italy, Croatia, Serbia, and Romania.
The group alleges that agents operating covertly in Paris coerced a Chinese national to leave for his country. Two other Chinese exiles had previously been compelled to return to China from Spain and Serbia.
China’s Ministry of Public Security denied all claims
According to Safeguard Defenders, there are four distinct police stations of China’s Ministry of Public Security operating in at least 53 different nations. These stations provide for the needs of Chinese ex-pats living abroad.
Beijing has denied all claims that these police stations are operated abroad. Last month, it informed CNN, “We hope that relevant parties stop hyping it up to create tensions. Using this as a pretext to smear China is unacceptable.”
These facilities, according to China, serve as administrative centers where Chinese ex-pats can renew their documents. Additionally, it stated that during the Covid-19 outbreak, these institutions were established to aid residents who had become trapped in neighboring nations. However, the study claims that these centers exist several years before the epidemic.
China had responded to the initial accusations made by Safeguard Defenders by claiming that volunteers staff these facilities. According to the group’s report, one of its police stations did, however, hire 135 people for its initial set of 21 stations.
After initial reports on the operation of these police stations surfaced, inquiries were opened in at least 13 distinct nations. The relationship between China and countries like Canada has also become tense.
Chinese Government not the first one to do it
Although China is not the first government to use extrajudicial methods to locate targets for law enforcement or political retaliation, the timing of the news harms the country, which is now experiencing unrest at home. Despite the number of cases steadily rising, people have been demonstrating against the nation’s zero-Covid policy and calling for restrictions to be lifted.
