LONDON: The UK government has instructed China to shut down unofficial police stations operating on British soil, according to Security Minister Tom Tugendhat’s statement to parliament on Tuesday.
The UK Foreign Office conveyed to the Chinese Embassy that any activities associated with these “police service stations” are unacceptable and must not operate in any form. In response, the embassy claimed that all such stations have permanently closed.
The existence of these unofficial police stations came to light when British police initiated investigations based on a report by the human rights group Safeguard Defenders. While they were ostensibly established to provide administrative services, they were allegedly being utilized to monitor and harass diaspora communities, and in certain cases, coerce individuals to return to China through illegitimate means.
Tugendhat mentioned that police authorities visited each location identified by Safeguard Defenders but did not find evidence of illegal activity on behalf of the Chinese state at these sites. He stated that the presence of these unauthorized police stations without the UK’s permission had caused concern and intimidation among those who had sought safety and freedom in the UK after leaving China.
Chinese Police Station in UK
Earlier this year, The Times newspaper reported on a food delivery business in the London suburb of Croydon, operated by Chinese businessman Lin Ruiyou, which allegedly served as an undeclared Chinese police station. The Chinese embassy in London denied the report and cautioned against spreading “false accusations” through the media.
According to AFP, similar operations have also been investigated in the United States, Canada, and various European countries. In April, US authorities arrested two individuals for allegedly setting up an outpost in New York, while dozens of Chinese security officials were charged with monitoring and harassing dissidents based in the United States.
