China’s ‘secret police stations’ anger Canada, Netherlands
Canada is investigating reports that secret Chinese “police stations” are operating in Toronto, amid reports of a global network used to target overseas dissidents.
The Royal Canada Mounted Police is investigating “reports of criminal activity about the so-called police stations.” The revelations come days after the Dutch government said it was investigating two suspected stations. The news is also hot on the heels of Chinese President Xin Jinping’s demands that other countries stop meddling in China’s internal affairs.
The stations were identified by Safeguard Defenders, a Spanish civil rights group. The NGO alleges that southern China police agencies have opened 54 “overseas service centres” in 25 cities across 21 countries, including Canada. The campaigners identified a residence, commercial building and convenience store in Toronto as locations.
China has denied the buildings are staffed by police, instead suggesting they are genuine services stations offering consular and bureaucratic assistance. China’s embassy in Ottawa said in a statement…
“Due to the Covid-19 epidemic, many overseas Chinese citizens are not able to return to China in time for their Chinese driver’s licence renewal and other services. For services such as driver’s licence renewal, it is necessary to have eyesight, hearing and physical examination. The main purpose of the service station abroad is to provide free assistance to overseas Chinese citizens in this regard.”
The embassy also said the staff were volunteers and not police officers. They were not involved in any “criminal investigation or relevant activity.”
The Dutch government is also investigating reports that Chinese police have opened at least two stations in the Netherlands since 2018, using them to put pressure on dissidents. The stations in Amsterdam and Rotterdam ostensibly allow Chinese nationals to renew their driving licences or change their civil status. Chinese critics of the Beijing regime living in the Netherlands said the centres were being used to track, contact and intimidate dissidents.
The Dutch foreign ministry said…
“We are investigating exactly what they are doing here and will then take appropriate action.”
Canadian lawmakers have been previously warned of the issue. Conservative member of parliament Michael Chong has asked the foreign affairs ministry about the existence of the police stations.
The allegations are likely to further strain relations between Ottawa and Beijing following a string of disputes. Recent years have seen the tit-for-tat arrests of Huawei executive Meng Wenzhou, and Canadian businessmen Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.
