At least 110 “overseas police service stations” coerce targets into returning to China, likely violating international and national laws
- Rapidly emerging evidence points to extensive online campaigns and the use of “Overseas Police Service Stations” being used in these operations on five continents, often using local “Chinese Overseas Home Associations” linked to the CCP’s United Front Work.
- China claims 230,000 suspects of fraud and telecom fraud were successfully “persuaded to return” to China from April 2021 to July 2022.
- These operations eschew official bilateral police and judicial cooperation and violate the international rule of law, and may violate the territorial integrity of third countries involved in setting up a parallel policing mechanism using illegal methods.
- Official statements detail use of depriving suspects’ children the right to education back in China, as well as other actions against relatives and family members, in a full-on “guilt by association” campaign.
An earlier report from January 2022 from Safeguard Defenders found three types of “legalized kidnapping”
- Threats to family in China
- Targeting victims in foreign country (threats to family or friends in the foreign country)
- Wholesale kidnapping where the person is abducted
Measures used to imprison targets fall into three categories
- Total disappearance (TD): Victim is kept incommunicado from everyone.
- House Arrest (HA): Confined indoors, isolated, with very limited and monitored phone access. Police live with the victim or in a flat/room nearby.
- Under Guard (UG): Mostly confined indoors, allowed out with police escort, constant surveillance, limited but usually greater phone usage compared with HA.
Why does this matter?
Encouraged by the absence of any real political cost is imposed on such outright illegal practices even when exposed, the CCP is rapidly expanding the operations. Prior to the pandemic, this trend was clear and despite the significant restrictions in place around the world in 2020 and 2021, the campaign remained surprisingly large-scale even during the pandemic. It is clear this issue is only going to become bigger.
The US has already indicted Chinese nationals
An eight-count indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging a total of seven nationals of the People’s Republic of China (PRC)—Quanzhong An, his daughter Guangyang An, Tian Peng, Chenghua Chen, Chunde Ming, Xuexin Hou, and Weidong Yuan—with participating in a scheme to cause the forced repatriation of a PRC national residing in the United States. The lead defendant, Quanzhong An, allegedly acted at the direction and under the control of various officials with the PRC’s government’s Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection (Provincial Commission)—including Peng, Chen, Ming, and Hou—to conduct surveillance of and engage in a campaign to harass and coerce a U.S. resident to return to the PRC as part of an international extralegal repatriation effort known as “Operation Fox Hunt.”
Media coverage
Countries taking legal action
Actions taken in the US
- Two Arrested and 13 Charged in Three Separate Cases for Alleged Participation in Malign Schemes in the United States on Behalf of the Government of the People’s Republic of China
- The Justice Department had a major press briefing. Available statements:
- AG Merrick Garland
- Dep AG Lisa Monaco
- Asst AG Matthew G. Olsen
Other countries that have taken action
Austria
Austria’s Interior Ministry announced it is investigating the police service centers. A spokesman for the Interior Ministry stated to APA news agency that “Under no circumstances will we tolerate illegal activities by foreign intelligence services or police authorities.” (Euractiv)
Canada
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is "investigating reports of criminal activity in relation to the so-called 'police' stations." The RCMP also said it takes "threats to the security of individuals living in Canada very seriously and is aware that foreign states may seek to intimidate or harm communities or individuals within Canada.” (CBC)
Chile
Interior Minister Carolina Tohá announced a police investigation is being carried out following a cabinet meeting. (El Mostrador)
Czech Republic
Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky stated to media that relevant authorities are investigating the overseas police service centres in the Czech Republic. (Ceske Noviny)
Germany
Police and internal security services in Germany are investigating whether China maintains an illegal extraterritorial police station in Frankfurt (Reuters).
A spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry of department further pointed out that the Federal Republic had not concluded a bilateral agreement with the People's Republic of China on the operation of overseas police stations. "The federal government does not tolerate the exercise of foreign state authority and accordingly Chinese authorities have no executive powers on the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany," she emphasized. The federal government is also working to ensure "that the Chinese diplomatic missions in their activities in Germany move within the framework of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations". (Handelsblatt)
Ireland
The Department of Foreign Affairs said neither Chinese authorities nor officials from the Fujian province or Fuzhou city sought permission from the department to set up the station in Dublin. As a result, department officials raised the presence of the police service station with the Chinese embassy in recent weeks. “The Department noted that actions of all foreign states on Irish territory must be in compliance with international law and domestic law requirements,” a spokesman said. “On this basis, the Department informed the Embassy that the office on Capel Street should close and cease operations.” (Irish Times)
Italy
When prompted by media on the existence of the Prato Fuzhou station in September of this year, the Interior Ministry under the former Government responded the station “is of no particular concern”. While the new Government has yet to respond, video evidence has emerged that local Roman police officers were present at the unveiling of the Qingtian Overseas Police Service Center in Rome in 2018, set up during the Joint Police patrols under a 2015 agreement between Italy and the PRC’s Ministry of Public Security which delegated the patrols to Zhejiang’s Public Security Bureau for the 2018 round. (Formiche)
Nigeria
The Edo State Police Command denied reports that China has established a police station in Benin and accused and insulted the reporting journalist for “misleading the public”. They also added that: “Edo State Police Command frowns at this development and maintains that Nigeria is a sovereign Nation established by law and no other nation can establish a base of any form with due process as enshrined in the existing laws of the land. “ (Vanguard Ngr)
Portugal
The Public Ministry is investigating whether there are indeed Chinese police stations in Portugal, which, if confirmed, necessarily represents an illegal practice. As confirmed by the Public Prosecutor's Office, the investigative measures are being directed by the Central Department of Investigation and Criminal Action (DCIAP). DCIAP is the department of the Public Ministry that investigates the most serious, complex and sophisticated organized crime. (Publico)
Spain
The Interior Ministry is investigating the PRC overseas police service centers. (El Mundo)
Sweden
Foreign Minister Tobias Billström stated the issue had been handed over to law enforcement authorities, in particular the security police (Säpo) which confirmed they knew about the police stations but have released no further information on the investigation.
According to Fredrik Hultgren-Friberg, Säpo press spokesperson, several countries conduct security-threatening activities against and in Sweden, in particular China, Russia and Iran. (Aftonbladet)
The Netherlands
The Dutch Foreign Ministry said it is investigating reports that China had set up two illegal police stations in the Netherlands. "We are now investigating as a ministry what is going on with the centers, and when we have more intel about it we can determine the appropriate action," Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Maxime Hovenkamp said. "What is correct is that the Chinese government never informed us about the centers via diplomatic channels so that makes them illegal to begin with," Hovenkamp said. (Deutsche Welle)
On November 1, Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra announced the stations are illegal and had been ordered to shut. He added the Chinese Ambassador had been asked to provide complete clarification on the issue. He also announced full independent investigations by the authorities into the stations’ activities were ongoing. (Wopke Hoekstra Twitter)
United Kingdom
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced an investigation into the Glasgow overseas police service center. The first minister said she was taking the claims "extremely seriously" and had spoken to Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone. Assistant Chief Constable Andy Freeburn said: "We are currently reviewing these reports to assess any criminality in conjunction with local and national partners." (BBC)
During an Urgent Question debate in the House of Commons on November 1st, the UK Minister for Security stated the stations were under investigation and that a full assessment would be provided. (Hansard)
Related
Switzerland gave unfettered access to the Chinese secret police - 2020
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