The Ireland government’s Department of Foreign Affairs has ordered a Chinese police station operating in Dublin to close.
“The Department noted that actions of all foreign states on Irish territory must be in compliance with international law and domestic law requirements,” an Irish official told the Irish Times.
“On this basis, the Department informed the Embassy that the office on Capel Street should close and cease operations.”
The so-called Fuzhou Police Overseas Service Station opened earlier this year, according to the Washington Examiner. A significant number of the Chinese population in Ireland are from Fuzhou City.
China says the office helps with driver’s license renewals, transnational crime and other administrative matters.
But the human-rights NGO Safeguard Defenders says the purpose of Chinese outposts in Canada is to force the return of Chinese nationalists who’ve broken Chinese law.
”In most countries, we believe it’s a network of individuals, rather than … a physical police station where people will be dragged into,” said Laura Harth, a campaign director at Safeguard Defenders.
“It’s completely illegal under international law. It’s a severe violation of territorial sovereignty.”
The foreign station in Dublin marks just one of dozens around the world, including three in Toronto, home to Canada’s largest Chinese diaspora.
In late October, the RCMP finally announced it’s investigating “reports of criminal activity in relation to the so-called ‘police’ stations.”
Earlier this month, The Counter Signal reported on Chinese dissidents in Canada demanding the Canadian government take action against the police stations.
Co-founder and trustee of Hong Kong Watch, Aileen Calverley, said she’s “frightened” because there are Chinese police where she lives in Milton, Ontario.
“There’s no legislation,” Calverley stated. “There’s nothing to deter them. Nothing to punish them.”
“So I think Canada really needs to look into this. Because they are Chinese police. So they should be considered as agents.”
