Seeking answers about alleged Chinese-government-run police outposts on US soil, the chairman of a new United States House of Representatives select committee focused on China Mike Turner sent a letter to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director Christopher Wray on Friday, as reported by The Straits Times.
In November 2022, Wray told Congress that he was deeply concerned about Beijing establishing unauthorised “police stations” in US cities to potentially conduct influence operations. He, however, declined at the time to detail the bureau’s investigative work on the issue. “Through these outposts and other tools of coercion, the CCP has violated the rights of American citizens, residents, and visitors,” the committee’s Republican chairman, Representative Mike Gallagher, wrote in the letter, referring to China’s ruling Communist Party.
Gallagher said he worried the FBI had been “late to the game” in investigating the matter and asked Wray to disclose when the FBI became aware of the issue and how widespread such outposts were in the US, The Straits Times reported.
The FBI, however, didn’t comment on the issue. But, according to a report published in September 2022 by the Europe-based rights organisation Safeguard Defenders, there are dozens of Chinese police “service stations” around the world, and they are linked to the activities of China’s United Front Work Department, a Communist Party body charged with spreading its influence overseas. China has, however, denied operating “police stations” on US soil, calling certain sites volunteer-run, according to The Straits Times. China, however, rejected reports of the deployment of overseas “police stations” in foreign nations, saying “police service centres” outside the country only assist Chinese nationals in accessing the online service platform in the respective countries.
Beijing’s response came after the Dutch government ordered China to close the “police service stations” in the Netherlands, saying that no permission was sought for the “police service stations” from them. Addressing a press conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said these sites mentioned are not “police stations” or “police service centers.” “They assist overseas Chinese nationals who need help accessing the online service platform to get their driving licences renewed and receive physical check-ups for that purpose.