Canada probes reports of Chinese ‘police service stations’ in Toronto as national security threats

Name: Chinese ‘overseas service stations’ under scrutiny after claims they are illegal police stations
Uploaded: 2022-11-23T01:09:11.000Z
Duration: 2 min 4 s
Description: Chinese ‘overseas service stations’ under scrutiny after claims they are illegal police stations

Canada joins US and Netherlands to launch such investigations after reports of the presence of Chinese ‘police service stations’ in other global cities

Safeguard Defenders said stations are part of Beijing’s efforts to pressure Chinese nationals or their relatives to return to China to face criminal charges

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Reuters

Published: 9:09am, 23 Nov 2022

Canadian police said on Tuesday they were investigating reports of Chinese “police service stations” operating in the Greater Toronto Area for possible interference in Canadian interests and threats to national security.

Canada joins countries including the United States and the Netherlands to launch such investigations after Safeguard Defenders, a Europe-based human rights organisation, published a report in September revealing the presence of dozens of Chinese police “service stations” in major cities around the world.

The stations are an extension of Beijing’s efforts to pressure some Chinese nationals or their relatives abroad to return to China to face criminal charges, the report by Safeguard Defenders said.

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Chinese ‘overseas service stations’ under scrutiny after claims they are illegal police stations

It also linked them to activities of China’s United Front Work Department, a Communist Party body charged with spreading its influence and propaganda overseas. China has denied the allegations.

“Our aim is to prevent intimidation, threats and harassment as well as any form of harm initiated on behalf of a foreign entity being applied to any community in Canada,” the RCMP said in a statement. Greater Toronto Area is home to Toronto, Canada’s financial capital and the most populous city.

The Chinese embassy in Ottawa did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

It has previously said there are centres outside China run by local volunteers, not Chinese police officers, that aim to help Chinese citizens renew documents and offer other services disrupted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.