2 years ago
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Canada’s national constabulary unit is investigating reports that clandestine Chinese “police stations” are operating successful Toronto amid reports of a planetary web utilized to people overseas dissidents.
The Royal Canada Mounted Police said it was investigating “reports of transgression enactment successful narration to the alleged ‘police’ stations” but did not specify the determination of the sites.
The constabulary besides warned that “foreign states whitethorn question to intimidate oregon harm communities oregon individuals wrong Canada”.
The revelations travel days aft the Dutch authorities said it was investigating 2 suspected stations.
The stations were archetypal identified by Safeguard Defenders, a Spanish civilian rights radical which alleged the Fuzhou and Qingtian constabulary agencies had betwixt them opened 54 “overseas work centres” successful 25 cities crossed 21 countries, including Canada.
Safeguard Defenders identified a residential home, commercialized gathering and convenience store successful the greater Toronto country arsenic the locations of the suspected operations.
China’s embassy has denied the buildings are staffed by police, alternatively suggesting they are “services stations” meant to connection consular and bureaucratic assistance.
“Due to the Covid-19 epidemic, galore overseas Chinese citizens are not capable to instrumentality to China successful clip for their Chinese driver’s licence renewal and different services,” the embassy said successful a statement. “For services specified arsenic driver’s licence renewal, it is indispensable to person eyesight, proceeding and carnal examination. The main intent of the work presumption overseas is to supply escaped assistance to overseas Chinese citizens successful this regard.”
The embassy besides said the unit were volunteers and not constabulary officers, adding: “They are not progressive successful immoderate transgression probe oregon applicable activity.”
But precocious unsealed tribunal documents successful New York corroborate accusations that China has engaged successful a overseas interference campaign, harassing and surveilling Chinese nationals abroad. In 1 case, a Chinese national surviving successful Canada was pressured to instrumentality to China to look charges of embezzling astir C$380,000 (US$280,000) successful nationalist funds.
In the tribunal document, the US alleges the unit run is related to China’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and Operation Fox Hunt, which has been utilized to people some corruption and dissent.
Canadian lawmakers person antecedently warned of the issue. At a House of Commons peculiar committee connected Canada-China relations successful aboriginal October, the Conservative subordinate of parliament Michael Chong asked Canada’s overseas affairs ministry astir the beingness of the constabulary stations.
Weldon Epp, manager wide of North Asia and Oceania astatine Global Affairs Canada said determination was abstraction for “legitimate constabulary liaison cooperation” betwixt countries.
“But the allegations reported successful the property would autumn good extracurricular of that, and we would person heavy concerns if they proved to beryllium true.”
The allegations are apt to erstwhile again strain relations betwixt Ottawa and Beijing, which person remained tense pursuing a drawstring of disputes betwixt the 2 nations, including the arrests of the Huawei enforcement Meng Wenzhou, and the Canadian businessmen Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.
English (US)