CNN
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The Dutch overseas ministry is “investigating” studies that China has arrange two purportedly unlawful police stations within the Netherlands.
“We’re investigating the actions of those so-called police facilities,” Ministry for Overseas Affairs spokesperson Maxine Hovenkamp mentioned in a press release to CNN Thursday.
Hovenkamp added that the ministry was not “knowledgeable about these facilities by way of diplomatic channels.”
China has denied that the facilities conduct police operations.
Dutch broadcaster, RTL Nieuws and Dutch investigative journalism outlet Observe the Cash printed a report on Tuesday claiming that China has opened at the least two police stations within the Netherlands since 2018. The 2 stations are situated in Rotterdam and Amsterdam.
The stations function below the facade of “abroad service stations” the place Chinese language nationals can renew their driving licenses and report adjustments of their civil standing, based on RTL Nieuws and Observe the Cash.
In line with RTL Nieuws and Observe the Cash, the Dutch authorities was by no means knowledgeable in regards to the presence of those stations.
Their investigation discovered “sturdy indications” that the branches are getting used to put strain on Chinese language dissidents within the Netherlands. One younger Chinese language dissident, Wang Jingyu who has been pursued by Chinese language authorities for criticizing the regime on social media, informed journalists that he obtained a name from somebody who claimed to be from the Chinese language police station in Rotterdam.
“He requested me to return to China to unravel my issues. He additionally informed me to consider my mother and father,” Wenbin mentioned.
Throughout a Chinese language Ministry of Overseas Affairs briefing on Wednesday, spokesperson Wang Wenbin was requested to verify if China had any police operations within the Netherlands and if he had any response to the RTL Nieuws and Observe the Cash reporting.
Responding to those questions, Wenbin mentioned the allegations within the report have been “fully unfaithful” and the alleged police stations are “the truth is Chinese language service facilities.”
“The aim of the service facilities is to assist abroad Chinese language nationals in want entry the platform to have their driving licenses renewed and obtain bodily examination,” the spokesperson added.
Human rights group Safeguard Defenders printed a report in September citing proof of those service stations in a number of international locations, which it claims “eschew official bilateral police and judicial cooperation and should violate the territorial integrity of third international locations concerned in organising a parallel policing mechanism utilizing unlawful strategies.”
The report contained a map of greater than 50 publicly documented and labeled abroad police stations which China has known as abroad Chinese language “service facilities,” situated throughout the globe. Because it was printed, the Spanish Inside Ministry has launched an investigation into the service stations and the report’s findings.
In the meantime, the Dutch authorities say they are going to “determine on acceptable motion” as soon as they achieve “extra readability on the matter,” based on the assertion.
