CNN "China Operating Over 100 Illegal 'Overseas Police Stations'"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] The U.S. news channel CNN reported on the 4th, citing the human rights organization 'Safeguard Defenders,' headquartered in Madrid, Spain, that 48 additional 'Overseas 110 Service Stations' (commonly known as 'overseas police stations') operated by Chinese authorities have been identified.

According to the report, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security has established more than 102 such facilities in over 53 countries overseas, managing them through a network divided into four regional zones based on the host country locations.

Safeguard Defenders revealed last September that China was illegally operating 54 secret overseas police stations under the name 'Overseas 110 Service Stations,' using them to monitor and harass Chinese nationals living abroad and, in some cases, to facilitate their repatriation. In China, '110' is the police emergency number, similar to '112' in Korea.

In its newly released report, the organization stated that it has identified 48 additional facilities. The report cited a case of a Chinese national who was threatened by covert operatives working at a Chinese overseas police station in the suburbs of Paris and subsequently returned to China. According to the organization, these operatives were recruited with the mission to intimidate and repatriate the individual.

The September report included accounts of one Chinese national each living in asylum in Serbia and Spain who, unable to withstand coercion, returned to China, with the 'Overseas 110 Service Stations' responsible for such operations, CNN reported.

Chinese authorities maintain that these are not police stations. They claim that these facilities provide administrative assistance such as driver's license renewals and passport reissuance for Chinese nationals residing in the host countries, and assert that they do not operate police forces outside Chinese territory.

However, CNN pointed out that unless there is explicit approval from the host country, conducting consular affairs without notifying the host country at locations other than official diplomatic missions such as embassies or consulates is unusual and illegal.