South Korea and Japan investigate 'clandestine' police stations in Beijing
They join 12 other countries that have initiated checks. Tokyo has lodged a formal complaint with the Chinese government. According to Safeguard, there are 102 illegal facilities in 53 countries. Beijing retorts that everything is in order and that these offices perform bureaucratic tasks. The Netherlands has already closed two posts.
Beijing (AsiaNews) - The South Korean and Japanese authorities have opened an investigation into the possible presence on their territory of "extraterritorial" police stations that China allegedly operates in its diplomatic offices.
Seoul and Tokyo took action after the Spanish non-governmental organisation Safeguard Defenders reported that the Chinese had set up 102 illegal security stations in 53 countries. According to the Vienna Convention, which China also signed, diplomatic services must be provided by embassies and consulates recognised by host governments.
In South Korea, there is allegedly one clandestine station: the Armed Forces, counter-intelligence and various ministries in Seoul are engaged in checking its possible existence. In Japan there would be two, according to the Yomiuri Shimbun. The Japanese Foreign Ministry has lodged a formal protest with the Chinese government in which it warns that if discovered, activities of this kind 'will not be tolerated'.
Beijing defends itself by claiming that the incriminated facilities are in line with international law and serve to speed up bureaucratic procedures slowed down by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, such as the renewal of car licences for its citizens living abroad.
Safeguard countered that China opened the stations before the outbreak of the global health crisis. Its accusation is that Beijing's unregistered outposts are actually used to detect, monitor and silence Chinese political opponents and dissidents. Safeguard claims that Beijing agents involved in these operations have 'forced' hundreds of thousands of compatriots to repatriate, often to face trials.
On 1 November, the Dutch government announced that it had closed two 'illegal Chinese police stations'; a few days earlier, the Canadian police had confirmed the presence of three clandestine Beijing facilities in the Toronto area. At the moment, investigations into the matter are also underway in Austria, Chile, the Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Nigeria, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the USA and Italy (which has ended joint patrols on its territory with Chinese policemen).
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12/02/2016 15:14
29/10/2022 10:47
