China shuts ‘secret police station’ in Glasgow restaurant

A Cantonese seafood restaurant was accused of being a base to monitor the local Chinese community, part of an international network that was identified by Spanish human rights group Safeguard Defenders.

110 locations including in Belfast and London were identified as stations to “monitor and harass diaspora communities and, in some cases, to coerce people to return to China outside of legitimate channels”.

In a written statement to Parliament Tugendhat said: “The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office have told the Chinese Embassy that any functions related to such ‘police service stations’ in the UK are unacceptable and that they must not operate in any form.

“The Chinese Embassy have subsequently responded that all such stations have closed permanently.

“Any further allegations will be swiftly investigated in line with UK law.”

In the Commons statement, Tugendhat said: “The police have visited each of the locations identified by Safeguard Defenders, and carefully looked into these allegations to consider whether any laws have been broken and whether any further action should be taken.

“I can confirm that they have not, to date, identified any evidence of illegal activity on behalf of the Chinese state across these sites.

“We assess that police and public scrutiny have had a suppressive impact on any administrative functions these sites may have had.

“However, these ‘police service stations’ were established without our permission and their presence, regardless of whatever low level administrative activity they were performing, will have worried and intimidated those who have left China and sought safety and freedom here in the UK. This is unacceptable.

“The Chinese authorities regularly criticise others for what they see as interference in their internal affairs. Yet, they felt able to open unattributed sites without consulting the UK Government. It is alleged that this was a pattern repeated around the world.”

The Chinese Consulate-General in Edinburgh had previously said any operation at the Sauchiehall Street venue has ended.

A spokesperson confirmed: “The ‘police service centres’ were sites assisting Chinese nationals in accessing the online service platform to get driving licences renewed and receive physical check-ups for that purpose.

“The people there were all volunteers from these communities. They are not police personnel from China.

“As the pandemic situation is getting better, these sites are now closed.”