According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, China’s government has not yet responded to the Foreign Office’s request to close “overseas police stations” in Germany. Berlin had sent this to Beijing after the non-governmental organization “Safeguard Defenders” reported in the fall on the existence of a Chinese foreign police force in 30 countries around the world. In Germany, the southwest Chinese city of Lishui has five such facilities.
According to SZ information, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), which is responsible for counterintelligence, is aware of two other police stations operated by the Wenzhou city authorities. According to the findings of the BfV, the facilities serve on the one hand to support overseas Chinese in administrative matters.
But the operators apparently maintain close ties to the Chinese embassy in Berlin and the consulates. German security authorities assume that they also spy on compatriots in Germany. China’s embassy said on request that such “police stations” did not exist. “These volunteers are simply committed overseas Chinese.”
