The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!
This 1966 comedy about the accidental grounding of a Soviet submarine off the coast of New England was nominated for four Academy Awards and captured the Golden Globe Award for best motion picture.
But a remake exclaiming “The Chinese Are Coming!” would be old hat: They’re already here.
“The People’s Republic of China has opened at least three police stations on Canadian soil as part of an alleged attempt by the country’s security state to keep an eye on the Chinese-Canadian diaspora,” The National Post informed last month.
“Canada-based dissidents of the Beijing government have long warned Canadian authorities that they face organized harassment from Chinese authorities,” The Post added.
A new report by Safeguard Defenders, a Spain-based foundation working for human rights in Asia, reveals there are now 54 of these Chinese “service stations” in 30 countries . . . including one in New York City.
The organization warns of “China’s growing global transnational repression,” explaining that in the last year 230,000 expats were “persuaded to return” to China but “these returns are often obtained by visiting extreme sanctions on the families of those targeted, such as asset seizures and prohibition from seeking government health care or education.”
In another recent report noted by The Globe and Mail, “the United Nations human-rights office said it found ‘patterns of intimidations, threats and reprisals’ against Uyghurs and other Chinese nationals living overseas who had spoken out against Beijing.”
Just last week, “El Correo published direct corroboration from Chinese authorities” of “illegal policing operations” with an anonymous Chinese official telling the Spanish paper, “The bilateral treaties are very cumbersome, and Europe is reluctant to extradite to China. I don’t see what is wrong with pressuring criminals to face justice. . . .”
The message to Chinese dissidents is clear: “You’re not safe anywhere.”
Are we?
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
Illustration created with DALL-E
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2 replies on “The Chinazis Next Door”
Another of the increasingly bitter fruits of globalization. Why are Western nations not shutting down these ‘service stations’? Why aren’t those who commit these acts of intimidation and threats not subject to expulsion?
I’m not sure what constructive measures are to be taken beyond making the general public clearly aware of these institutions. Forceably closing them would give the Chinese state cover for taking still more repressive actions against any foreign presence in places such as Hong Kong, and cause that state further to limit travel by those of its citizens seen as potentially liberal.