Illegal Chinese ‘police stations’ uncovered in the Netherlands, reports say
Dutch foreign ministry says it will investigate and take ‘appropriate actions.’
China has illegally opened at least two “police stations” in the Netherlands since 2018 in an attempt to pressure Chinese dissidents, RTL Nieuws and Follow the Money revealed Tuesday.
The so-called overseas service stations offer diplomatic services to Chinese Dutch citizens, such as renewing their driving licenses — but they also attempt to silence Chinese dissidents in Europe, the media outlets reported, citing a Chinese victim named Wang Jingyu.
Wang told Dutch journalists his story, saying that he fled to the Netherlands after he was followed by police in China for criticizing the regime on social media. But when he arrived, the Chinese police station in Rotterdam asked him “to go back to China to solve my problems,” adding that he should also consider his family.
“These agencies are illegal,” a spokesman from the Dutch foreign ministry said, adding that the government is going to investigate and take “appropriate actions.”
While the Chinese embassy told reporters that they are not aware of the existence of the stations in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the Dutch media outlets point to Chinese reports according to which a senior embassy official was present at a meeting where the establishment of the Amsterdam outpost was discussed.
The revelations come after a Spanish human rights organization — Safeguard Defenders — released a report in September on Chinese police stations abroad.
According to the report, Chinese authorities have “established a series of overseas police ‘service stations’ across five continents, but mainly in Europe. These provide administrative services, but have also been active in ‘covert and illegal policing,'” the organization stated.
The so-called overseas service stations offer diplomatic services to Chinese Dutch citizens, such as renewing their driving licenses — but they also attempt to silence Chinese dissidents in Europe, the media outlets reported, citing a Chinese victim named Wang Jingyu.
Wang told Dutch journalists his story, saying that he fled to the Netherlands after he was followed by police in China for criticizing the regime on social media. But when he arrived, the Chinese police station in Rotterdam asked him “to go back to China to solve my problems,” adding that he should also consider his family.
“These agencies are illegal,” a spokesman from the Dutch foreign ministry said, adding that the government is going to investigate and take “appropriate actions.”
While the Chinese embassy told reporters that they are not aware of the existence of the stations in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the Dutch media outlets point to Chinese reports according to which a senior embassy official was present at a meeting where the establishment of the Amsterdam outpost was discussed.
The revelations come after a Spanish human rights organization — Safeguard Defenders — released a report in September on Chinese police stations abroad.
According to the report, Chinese authorities have “established a series of overseas police ‘service stations’ across five continents, but mainly in Europe. These provide administrative services, but have also been active in ‘covert and illegal policing,'” the organization stated.
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