Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra has told Chinese Ambassador Tan Jian that the clandestine offices that Beijing has allegedly set up on its territory to persecute political dissidents cannot be tolerated and must be closed «immediately».
These offices must be closed «immediately,» the Dutch foreign minister urged the Chinese diplomat, according to Nos, the Dutch public television channel.
China masks these alleged activities within what it calls «service centers», which are active in several countries, according to information published last week by RTL Nieuws and the research platform Follow the Money. In theory, they serve to facilitate formalities for Chinese citizens living abroad, for example to renew driving licenses.
However, it also performs police work and information gathering. The activity now under suspicion dates back to 2018, in the case of Amsterdam, and to this same year, in the case of Rotterdam.
In any case, the Dutch authorities have pointed out that these offices are carrying out consular work without having requested permission, so Minister Hoekstra has insisted on the need to close them immediately.
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed that it will continue to investigate this situation, which would not be unknown to other European countries, where there are also indications of this type of clandestine activities on the part of Beijing.
