FBI director Christopher Wray says probe is on as China declines claims of running 'police stations' in US
WASHINGTON DC, WASHINGTON: China has pushed back on a recent Europe-based human rights organization, Safeguard Defenders, study that the communist regime is running over dozens of Chinese police stations in the US. On Friday, November 18, the Chinese Embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu said in an email to the press agency, "They assist overseas Chinese nationals who need help in accessing the online service platform to get their driving licenses renewed and receive physical check-ups for that purpose."
Pengyu told Reuters, "They are not police personnel from China. The US side should stop the groundless hyping of this issue.” On being asked for a list of the sites operational, the Embassy is yet to respond to the request, whereas the FBI refused to comment beyond FBI director Christopher Wray’s comment on Thursday, November 17. "I'm very concerned about this. We are aware of the existence of these stations," Wray had told a US Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing.
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He acknowledged their existence but declined to spill anything before the investigation is completed, "But to me, it is outrageous to think that the Chinese police would attempt to set up shop, you know, in New York, let's say, without proper coordination. It violates sovereignty and circumvents standard judicial and law enforcement cooperation processes," reported Reuters. Wray, when asked by Republican Senator Rick Scott if such stations violated US law, said the FBI was "looking into the legal parameters."
The US Congressmen from Republican Party, including Representative Jim Banks, have requested answers from the Biden administration about the operations of the sites. A few weeks back China’s foreign ministry had denied having similar stations in the Netherlands, amid a probe by Dutch officials. China claims these are the offices to assist Chinese citizens to renew documents.
Rights activists in the US alleged that this is just another effort by Beijing to pressure several Chinese nationals or their relatives abroad to return to China and face criminal charges. They further alleged that such activities are run by China’s United Front Work Department, a wing of the Chinese Communist Party body responsible for enhancing its influence and propaganda overseas.
"By allowing the CCP to operate these types of institutions in their countries, international governments are complicit in Beijing's actions," said Mark Clifford, president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, and stressed such outlets must be “stopped in their tracks.”