FBI: Unauthorized Chinese ‘Police Stations’ in U.S. Cities Are ‘Outrageous’
The centers are allegedly used to pressure Chinese nationals to return to China to face criminal charges and to promote the activities of the United Front Work Department.
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FBI Director Christopher Wray told lawmakers Thursday that the U.S. is concerned about the Chinese government setting up unauthorized stations allegedly operating as abroad ‘police stations,’ Michael Martina and Ted Hesson report for Reuters. The statement follows a report from Safeguard Defenders, a human rights organization, in September that identified ‘service centers’ tied to the Chinese police in major international cities including New York. The centers are allegedly used to pressure Chinese nationals to return to China to face criminal charges and to promote the activities of the United Front Work Department.
“I’m very concerned about this. We are aware of the existence of these stations,” Wray said in conversation with the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. “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.” Wray could not yet say if the stations violate the law.
