The Chinese government warned Wednesday that it has «service police stations» abroad but denied that it has engaged in «police activity», as some organizations have claimed, accusing Beijing of persecuting dissidents outside the country.
A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry admitted that Beijing «maintains a network of police stations» abroad, but stressed that there are no «clandestine police stations», as has been denounced by third countries, such as Germany.
According to sources close to the matter, these police stations have been created «by groups of passionate Chinese abroad» and are run by «volunteers committed to the Chinese diaspora and not by Chinese police officers».
Information obtained by the DPA news agency indicates that at least «five high-ranking officials» working in these police stations offer Chinese and German citizens legal advice to apply for documents or carry out bureaucratic procedures. However, this assistance would also be used to obtain information from the authorities and to promote the ideology and policies of the Chinese government.
German security forces have warned that there are two clandestine Chinese police stations in the country and pointed out that they are allegedly used to influence the Chinese diaspora in the country, as a parliamentary committee has concluded.
Human rights organizations estimate that there are about 100 such police stations in at least 50 countries. The Foreign Ministry insists, however, that the aim is «to help Chinese citizens who were unable to travel to the country during the coronavirus pandemic to undergo medical check-ups and renew their driving licenses».
The authorities have also stated that these centers «do not violate the law because they do not engage in criminal activities» and have pointed out that China «does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries or in their sovereignty».
