Officers from unofficial Chinese police stations are known to have been known to monitor the Chinese communities in Britain and particularly dissidents who have fled China.
Britain demands China to close unofficial police stations on British soil.
The British security minister told about it Tom Tugendhat.
The British Foreign Office’s written statement orders the Chinese embassy to cease the operation of unofficial stations.
According to the Chinese embassy, all stations are permanently closed.
British police began investigations based on reporting by the human rights organization Safeguard Defenders. The topic has been written about by, among others, The Guardian magazine.
Based on investigations by the organization Safeguard Defenders, the Chinese offices provided administrative services but also monitored British Chinese communities and dissidents.
According to Security Minister Tugendhat, in some cases, Chinese citizens were forced to return to their homeland by illegal means.
According to the Minister of Security, the authorities have found no illegalities at the points that are still open.
– However, they have been established without Britain’s permission and they may disturb people who sought safety and freedom from Britain, the minister said.
Ruokatukku was also an unofficial police station
The Times magazine revealed in his investigative journalism article in April that a Chinese businessman Lin Ruiyoun own grocery store in Croydon also housed an unofficial police station. The businessman has relations with the British Conservative Party.
The Chinese embassy has denied the charges.
Similar stations have also been in operation in several other European countries, Canada and the United States.
AFP