The Chinese administration is known for notoriously establishing “overseas service stations” all over the world. The administration claims that the service stations that are established in different countries are meant to provide bureaucratic assistance to Chinese citizens living abroad.
However, the recent report exclusively acquired by CNN claims otherwise. On Sunday, CNN revealed that China has set up more than 100 so-called “service stations” all across the world. Citing the allegation made by the new report, CNN claimed that the stations are meant to “monitor and harass Chinese citizens living in exile.”
Human Rights campaigner group Safeguards Defenders, who are based in Madrid claim that it found “48 additional police stations abroad.” The recent figures add up to the earlier assertion by the group that it had located 54 such police stations in September. According to CNN, Beijing was able to construct these stations through bilateral security arrangements with numerous countries across Europe and Africa.
Chinese citizens were coerced into returning home: Claims report
The report highlights that Beijing is coercing Chinese citizens who are in exile abroad to return back to their home country. The group claimed that a “Chinese citizen was coerced into returning home by undercover officials,” who were working with these police stations.
Earlier the Safeguards Defenders claimed that 2 exiles from China were returned back to Beijing. One of them was returned from Serbia and the other was returned from Spain. According to CNN, such police stations are operating in several European nations such as Italy, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, etc.
In the past, countries like the US, Canada, and the UK have expressed their concern over the issue. Earlier this month, FBI director Christopher Wary expressed that he is deeply concerned about the Chinese government setting up unauthorised police stations in numerous US cities. Canada has also kept a close eye on Beijing’s interference in internal matters. On November 16, global news reported that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service has investigated Chinese businessman Wei Chengyi for allegedly transferring “large funds meant to advance Beijing’s interests in Canada’s 2019 federal elections”.