In recent weeks, the issue of Chinese police stations operating in Canada and other democracies has been making headlines, with some governments questioning whether these police stations are being used to intimidate overseas Chinese. We are launching an investigation into the suspicion that
Liberal MP John McKay said he found it “unbelievable” when he first heard reports of the existence of three unofficial Chinese police stations operating in the Toronto metropolitan area.
“This is a vicious expansion of extraterritoriality and should be resisted on all fronts,” McKay told the Epoch Times.
“It’s like one more thing. [China has] “Trying to manipulate our democracy, trying to manipulate our students, trying to manipulate our communications network routines, stealing industrial patents, university think tanks and labs.”
According to the Spain-based NGO Safeguard Defenders, the three police stations reported in Toronto — two in Markham, an area with a large Chinese population, and one in Scarborough — are two provincial-level police departments in China. It is one of over 50 overseas police services operated by the agency.
“We could have an Interpol arrangement between Chinese and Canadian authorities, but this goes way beyond that,” McKay said. “This is basically bribing authorities or coercing or coercing people to cooperate with Chinese authorities outside of China’s territorial jurisdiction.”
According to Safeguard Defenders, stations reportedly operated by the Fuzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau in Fuzhou, Fujian and its counterpart in Qingtian County, Zhejiang, are located in dozens of countries on five continents. . NGOs reported the existence of two stations. September issue It investigates what it calls the CCP’s “long-range police” and “cross-border oppression.”
while multiple Chinese state media Safeguard Defenders reported that these stations were set up to better serve overseas Chinese communities. He said that between April 2021 and July 2022, more than 230,000 overseas Chinese had been “persuaded” to return to China “voluntarily” to face criminal charges.
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The study found that “persuasion to return” was part of Beijing’s “involuntary return” operation, which “pressured them through means such as intimidation, harassment, detention, and imprisonment, and targeted family members in China.” It has been pointed out that methods such as “tracking It also includes directly approaching targeted individuals. It also includes approaching targeted individuals “through online means or by deploying agents and/or representatives abroad, often covertly, to intimidate and harass the target.” .
“Whether the target is a dissident, a corrupt official, or a low-level criminal, the problem is the same. Using irregular methods undermines due process and is the most basic right of suspects,” the study said.
Non-suspects are also targeted, he said, “establishing a broad ‘associative guilt’ paradigm.”
“What worries me about the big picture is that Chinese Canadians are in a very difficult position,” McKay said. “It is not a good future for people who are both Chinese and Canadian that China continues to do this.”
Conservative MP Garnett Genuis said the issue was “deeply concerning”.
“The Canadian government must step up, respond to these reports, and take action to protect Canadian sovereignty. Other cases also need to be addressed,” he told the Epoch Times. .
“There are those who are critical of the Chinese government, but are nervous about expressing those criticisms here again because of what it means for their safety and their families back in their countries of origin. increase.
“I think the threats, especially to people of Chinese descent, are so grave that more action is needed.”
erosion of sovereignty
Global Affairs Canada said it was investigating allegations of unlicensed Chinese police stations in the country, and said European countries such as Spain and Ireland had also launched investigations.
In a recent Epoch Times commentary, Peter Dahlin, founder and director of Safeguard Defenders and co-author of the report, said an official from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Shanghai office admitted: Countries that do not serve China’s national interests
According to Darling, “bilateral treaties are very onerous” and “Europe is reluctant to extradite to China,” the official said on condition of anonymity. For this reason, Chinese authorities see no problem in using pressure or coercion to deport victims to China, the official said.
In an earlier interview with The Epoch Times, Dahlin revealed in his report that more than 50 police stations are operated by China’s two provincial-level police agencies (Fujian and Zhejiang). , said there may be more than 10 provinces operating in China. There are similar police stations overseas, but they have not yet been discovered.
He also said the CCP is known to kidnap targets living in foreign countries, and that his organization has identified 22 cases of kidnapping.
Former Conservative lawmaker Kenny Chiu said the CCP has long been involved in the kidnapping and coercion of dissidents, citing some pro-democracy activists who have been “extradited” to China from places such as Hong Kong.
“Those who are paying attention are aware that the Chinese Communist Party extends its influence and violence beyond its borders,” he said.
“So this is nothing new. What is new is that it is now being done… openly and openly. It is true that these are not official police departments. It’s new to have an official station set up in Canada to work with and collaborate with agents of.”
Chiu said the establishment of the police station was “not a healthy development” and violated Canada’s sovereignty.
“These are not bilateral with Canada’s approval,” he said.
“The Chinese Communist Party wants to persuade, influence and infiltrate countries like Canada to use strong force. [to] …to brutally control the Chinese and Diaspora Chinese communities abroad. “
“No surprise”
Senator Leo Usakos told the Epoch Times he was concerned about Chinese police reports in Canada, but it wasn’t surprising.
“We have seen many reports being submitted to parliamentary committees over the last few years. [the Canadian Security Intelligence Service], by RCMP. Our security forces in Canada have raised red flags about the Communist Party of Beijing, invaded our institutions, invaded our democracy,” he said.
“We are hearing reports from our security forces and Canadian citizens being intimidated by agents here in Canada. It is not surprising that it has become a serious concern.”
Housakos said Canada desperately needs a foreign influence register. Building S-237he introduced.
“Foreign interference in our country is becoming more and more of a problem. he said.
“These countries need attention and we must guard against their incursions.”
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Andrew Chen is a reporter for the Epoch Times based in Toronto.