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Updated November 18th, 2022 at 13:16 IST

FBI director 'very concerned' over Chinese 'police station' in New York; probe underway

FBI director Christopher Wray has said that the FBI is "very concerned" about Chinese's government's efforts to set up police stations in western countries.

Reported by: Sagar Kar
FBI
Image: AP | Image:self
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FBI director Christopher Wray has said that the FBI is "very concerned" about Chinese's government's efforts to set up police stations in western countries. Concerns about Chinese police stations spread after Safeguard Defenders, a nonprofit organisation, released a report back in September stating that China has set up 54 police stations outside of China, including one Chinese police station in NYC. Christopher Wray said China's actions were "outrageous ". 

The FBI director was speaking at a Senate hearing and he was being questioned about China's activities in the US by Sen. Rick Scott. The bureau is responsible for counterintelligence in the US, the fact that a Chinese police station was established in NYC, reveals the breadth of China's coercive activities in other nations. “Like you, I’m very concerned about this,” the FBI director said.

Chinese police stations violate national sovereignty 

He added that it violates national sovereignty and circumvents a nation's legal system. The FBI director held China's president Xi Jinping responsible for these acts, as under him, China has become more aggressive. The FBI director said he was aware that these police stations existed, adding that he cannot go into the specifics of an investigation. “We are aware of the existence of these stations. I have to be careful about discussing our specific investigative work, 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 law enforcement cooperation processes," said Christopher Wray, at the Senate hearing. 

He alluded that the Chinese Communist Party is setting up these police stations in other nations to surveil Chinese people who are critical of the Chinese communist regime. The Chinese police station in NYC is apparently located in lower Manhattan. Wray said that it was important for Chinese Americans and Chinese dissidents to inform law enforcement if they believe they are being surveilled by the Chinese authorities. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian maintains that the sites are not police stations. He claims that they are help centres which "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."

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Published November 18th, 2022 at 13:16 IST

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