A secret police force, spreading all over the world. Hunting and tracking down its targets, threatening them, and their families until they agree to be punished. If that wasn't enough, this 'secret' police even tries to interfere in other countries' elections.
This spy thriller-style set-up has been made real by the Chinese dictatorship, if human rights activists are to be believed. More worryingly, it may be a sign that China's trampling of democracy is now spreading beyond its borders, into other countries.
Multiple news reports have said that China has been establishing quasi-police outposts in other nations. Around 50 such informal police stations have already been set up in in Europe and the Americas. At least 16 European nations, including major powers like UK, Germany, and France, have become home to these Chinese police posts.
ALSO WATCH | China using factories in USA to spy? $2.6 million land deal near Air Force drone base sparks worry
The stations are affiliated to police forces in various Chinese cities and provinces. China's Fuzhou city police has opened 30 stations in 21 countries. These outposts are reportedly operated by volunteers from the local Chinese community. The initiative has been named 'Overseas 110' after the Chinese emergency number.
Chinese authorities claim that the intent behind setting up these police outposts is clean.
The aim of these stations is to help the Chinese diaspora present in other countries. Beijing says that these police outposts help Chinese nationals renew their identity papers like driving licences. They also help Chinese nationals procure employment documents by confirming that they do not face police cases. Another job is to help arrange health checks for Chinese nationals.
However, the real task of these police stations is very different, and much more sinister, according to activists.
These police outposts have been set up with the objective of tracking down Chinese persons wanted by authorities back home, including for political opposition to the Communist Party. These persons are then coerced into returning to China to face prosecution. This is done by the station staff forcing the person to speak to police in China. The police then threaten the targets with consequences like their children being denied schooling, and their relatives being made to face employment hurdles, and other problems.
Moreover, these overseas police stations may be involved in attempts to influence the elections in their host countries, according to a report in Investigative Journalism Reportika.
To make matters worse, these informal police stations might actually be illegal, according to Safeguard Defenders, an activist group which prepared a report on this Chinese project.
It said that these Chinese outposts are not properly registered in their host countries. Through this initiative, China is also not following proper extradition procedures for its wanted citizens. This is to prevent scrutiny of its human rights record, which is already poor. This project also eschews bilateral police and judicial cooperation, and possibly violates other countries' territorial integrity by creating a parallel police force with illegal methods.
These allegations seem all the more probable when looking at the addresses of these 'secret' police stations.
In London, England, one such station is reportedly present at the office of a real estate company. In Dublin, Ireland, the police outpost is located between two Asian restaurants on the famous Capel Street. In Glasgow, Scotland, the police station reportedly operates out of a Chinese restaurant. In Markham, Canada, one such outpost is set-up at a private home, while another is at a mall full of Chinese shops and restaurants. In Scarborough, Canada, the police station is present at a property belonging to the Canada Toronto FuQing Business Association.
China has admitted that it has been trying to "persuade" some people to return to the homeland. According to authorities, around 2.3 lakh people have returned to China since April 2021 through such initiatives. However, some incidents highlighted by activists point to the possibility of threats and coercion.
In 2018, in Serbia's Belgrade, a Chinese outpost tracked down a citizen accused of theft back in China. This person was brought to the station, and made to talk to police in China. Initially, the person did not want to go back, but agreed after a week.
In 2020, a Chinese outpost in Madrid, Spain identified a man wanted in China for alleged environmental pollution. This person was made to talk to cops sitting next to his family in China, raising the possibility of his relatives being threatened.
Governments in other countries finally seem to be noticing the nefarious nature of these informal Chinese police stations.
Britain's Home Office has reportedly said that "illegal repatriation" efforts will not be tolerated, and extradition requests for suspected criminals must be made in accordance with UK and international law.
If the allegations are true, then China's attempt to undermine the governments of other countries, and set up its own police forces across the world poses a serious threat to the world order.
China, under Xi Jinping, has been growing increasingly belligerent on various fronts. Global powers cannot afford to dither on this challenge to their sovereignty.
