Chinese Police and Undercover Stations Worldwide

Chinese police stations in 2026 have evolved. These stations have expanded into the Western Balkans and Pacific Islands in 2026, despite international pressure. Discover how surveillance technology and joint patrols enable transnational repression of dissidents worldwide.

Updated June 6, 2026

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes

What Is the Global Scope of China’s Overseas Police Operations?
Why Does Beijing Defend These Controversial Operations?
How Have Nations Responded to These Unauthorized Chinese Police Stations?
What Recent Developments Have Occurred Between 2023-2025?
- North America
- Europe
How Do These Stations Fit Into China’s Broader Transnational Repression?
2026 Update: How Has China’s Police Network Expanded Into New Regions?
- Western Balkans Operations
- Pacific Islands Policing Partnerships
What New Transnational Repression Cases Have Emerged in 2026?
How Does Surveillance Technology Enable China’s Overseas Policing?
What Is the Current Status of Chinese Overseas Police Operations in 2026?
References Part 1
References Part 2
References Part 3

What Is the Global Scope of China’s Overseas Police Operations?

China has been accused of operating a vast network of undercover police stations across the globe. Initially identified in 2022, these Chinese police stations 2026 are believed to be used by China to garner greater control over Chinese dissidents located in foreign countries. The undeclared ‘police stations’ were first documented in countries such as Spain, the Netherlands, and the UK.

VOA News, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The non-governmental organization (NGO), Safeguard Defenders, based in Spain, brought up the initial claims. They released a report in September 2022 claiming that the Chinese government was responsible for setting up Chinese police service stations overseas across five continents. By December 2022, their follow-up investigation “Patrol and Persuade” had identified 102 such stations operating in 53 countries across North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Within the UK, three unauthorized police stations were identified. When setting up these secret undercover police stations, the Chinese present their purpose as helping Chinese citizens residing in other countries with tasks such as renewing a driver’s license.

Despite these claims, Safeguard Defenders repudiates China’s claim, insisting that the centers are actually set up to act as,

Public security bodies intended to leverage Chinese citizens into returning to Chinese soil, or to prevent dissenters from speaking out against the Chinese Communist Party regime.

Why Does Beijing Defend These Controversial Operations?

Chinese spokesman Wang Wenbin asserted that the facilities referenced are “service stations for Chinese citizens abroad to help overcome difficulty. Such services are mainly targeted at physical examinations and changing drivers’ licenses.”

In subsequent statements, Beijing has maintained that these stations provide legitimate services to overseas Chinese citizens. In 2023, as international pressure mounted, the Chinese government claimed that many stations had already closed and their services moved online “in light of the evolving COVID situation.”

Embassy of The People's Republic of China — *Screenshot of Website Image by DOPEQuickReads/SDOCNews*

How Have Nations Responded to These Unauthorized Chinese Police Stations?

A joint probe by Dutch outlet RTL News and Follow the Money indicated the existence of public testimony of a dissident Chinese citizen. Wang Jingyu resides in the Netherlands and reports his experience with the ‘stations.’ He claims that he received a message from an individual contending that they were from the Rotterdam Chinese police station. He said,

He asked me to go back to China to solve my problems. He also told me to think about my parents.

The Dutch government launched an investigation into the reports. The foreign ministry released a statement that they,

Are investigating exactly what they are doing here and will then take appropriate action. The Dutch government wasn’t made aware of these operations through the diplomatic channels with the Chinese government. That is illegal. It is very wrong [that] a Chinese national has apparently been subjected to intimidation and harassment here in the Netherlands.

The Netherlands and China subscribe to the Vienna convention, which requires that permission be obtained to gather intelligence on foreign soil.

Grateful to see global interest in our #110Overseas investigation on the PRC’s clandestine police stations around the world.

For more background re China’s national legal framework for these policing operations & stories of those “persuaded to return” 👉 https://t.co/uLrAAlYe6W pic.twitter.com/cWwaaCnJfI
— Safeguard Defenders (保护卫士) (@SafeguardDefend) October 26, 2022

What Recent Developments Have Occurred Between 2023-2025?

Since the initial revelations, numerous countries have taken action against these alleged police stations:

North America

United States: In April 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice charged two men for conspiring to act as Chinese government agents and for obstruction of justice for collaborating with Chinese police to open a station in Manhattan’s Chinatown. One of the men tied to the Manhattan station was alleged to have participated in a “persuasion to return” operation and helped locate a California-based activist.
Canada: In December 2022, Canada summoned China’s ambassador over the “so-called police stations” and issued a “cease and desist” warning. By March 2023, Canadian authorities were investigating alleged Chinese police posts in Quebec.

Europe

Ireland and Netherlands: Both countries demanded the closure of stations within their borders. The Netherlands’ foreign minister reported in December 2022 that the government had taken “immediate steps” to close stations inside the country.
United Kingdom: In June 2023, the UK’s Minister for State Security declared the stations “unacceptable” but acknowledged that a police investigation into three UK-based stations found no evidence of illegal activity.
G7 Response: In a May 2023 communique, the G7 called on Beijing to abide by the Vienna conventions on diplomatic and consular relations, a reference to stations conducting consular business outside diplomatic missions.

By 2025, several investigations have resulted in prosecutions, particularly in the United States, where the Justice Department has expanded its focus to include Chinese cyber operations. In March 2025, the U.S. charged 12 Chinese nationals, including two officers of China’s Ministry of Public Security, for global computer intrusion campaigns targeting dissidents and government agencies.

How Do These Stations Fit Into China’s Broader Transnational Repression?

Notably, what makes these service stations particularly concerning is their connections to Chinese state transnational repression 2026. Beijing has a well-documented history of harassing and intimidating overseas Chinese citizens and diaspora members. Those that China targets domestically are also pursued abroad, including activists, human rights lawyers, protesters, Uyghurs, Tibetans, and students, among others.

For example, the case of Swedish publisher Gui Minhai shows the broader pattern of transnational repression. Kidnapped from Thailand in October 2015, Gui was sentenced to ten years in prison in February 2020 on charges of “illegally providing intelligence to foreign countries.” As of June 2026, over ten years after his kidnapping, his whereabouts remain unknown despite international pressure for his release.

These overseas police stations appear to be embedded in China’s “united front system,” which General Secretary Xi Jinping has called a “magic weapon” for the “Chinese people’s great rejuvenation.” Outside China, Beijing has long used this system to “guide, buy, or coerce political influence abroad,” including through overseas Chinese work (qiaowu) aimed at building connections with the Chinese diaspora.

Bengt Oberger, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

2026 Update: How Has China’s Police Network Expanded Into New Regions?

China’s overseas policing operations now reach well beyond the 53 countries first identified in 2022. New investigations show that these efforts have expanded into two key regions: the Western Balkans and the Pacific Island nations.

Western Balkans Operations

In January 2026, reports showed that Chinese police were taking part in joint patrols in Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Unlike the secret stations first revealed by Safeguard Defenders, these patrols operate under agreements described as “tourist safety” programs. Croatia’s sixth round of joint patrols in summer 2025 included eight Chinese officers. It happened at the same time as a 41 percent rise in Chinese tourism.

However, the official reason for these patrols does not match what is happening on the ground. In Serbia, joint patrols have taken place in Novi Sad and Smederevo. These areas have large Chinese infrastructure projects but little tourism. This suggests the patrols are more focused on monitoring Chinese nationals working on Belt and Road Initiative projects than on protecting tourists.

A map of Croatia with the national flag of Croatia on it. The flag is a horizontally striped red-white-blue national flag with the national coat of arms in its center. Travel and government concept — *A map of Croatia with the national flag of Croatia on it. By Leo Lintang* *via Adobe Stock*

Using surveillance technology in the Western Balkans raises more concerns. Serbia has installed Chinese-made monitoring systems. These have at least 1,000 cameras in Belgrade. There are plans for 3,500 more Huawei cameras. Authorities used this technology to watch anti-government protesters after the Novi Sad train station collapse in November 2025, which killed 16 people.

Pacific Islands Policing Partnerships

China has signed police cooperation agreements with six Pacific Island Countries (PICs). These are Samoa, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Vanuatu. Only three of these countries have standing militaries, their police forces handle most security tasks. So, they are easier targets for Chinese influence.

In 2018, Papua New Guinea got 200 Chinese surveillance cameras. It also got a Huawei data center funded by a Chinese EXIM bank loan. Later, it was found that Chinese authorities could access the data center remotely. Watch the video below for info on how China’s mass surveillance works.

What New Transnational Repression Cases Have Emerged in 2026?

Overseas police stations have increased their focus on diaspora communities and critics living abroad. Human Rights Watch’s World Report 2026, published in February, highlighted a rise in transnational repression tactics.

Some of the most significant cases from 2026 are:

Tara Zhang Yadi: This student activist, based in France, was arrested. Beijing continues to target Chinese students abroad who speak out against the government.
IndieChina Film Festival Threats: Filmmakers in New York were threatened in an effort to stop the festival. Cultural events are also being targeted by transnational repression.
Operation Fox Hunt Sentencing: In April 2025, Michael McMahon, a retired Irish-American police officer, was sentenced to 18 months for working as an illegal agent for the Chinese government. His co-defendants, Zhu Yong and Zheng Congying, received sentences of 24 months and 16 months. China recruits people with law enforcement experience to carry out surveillance and intimidation in the United States.

The FBI has said that Operation Fox Hunt, which is officially described as an anti-corruption campaign, is actually used to target political dissidents. From 2014 to 2023, Freedom House recorded 214 separate cases of transnational repression by China, making it the most active country in this area.

Canada China Flag Combined — *Canada and China Flag combined By Darryl via Adobe Stock*

How Does Surveillance Technology Enable China’s Overseas Policing?

Chinese-made surveillance systems have become an important part of police work overseas. In the Western Balkans, these systems are used both to keep track of Chinese nationals living abroad. Additionally, they help authoritarian governments crack down on local dissent.

Police in Sarajevo Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina, now use body cameras and data software made by Hytera. Hytera is a company partly owned by the Chinese government. In 2024, Hytera admitted to conspiring to steal technology from Motorola, an American company. When asked if they would stop using Hytera products because of this, Bosnia’s Interior Ministry chose not to take action.

Similarly, Serbia has widely adopted Chinese surveillance technology. After large protests following the Novi Sad tragedy, the government set up monitoring systems. These systems keep records of “activists and other citizens who are critically aligned against the government.” Plainclothes officers use advanced cellphones to film people and build databases of political opponents.

Furthermore, this trend is also seen in the Pacific Islands, where surveillance systems often come before or alongside police cooperation deals. These technologies make local governments more dependent on China and give them more ways to tighten their control.

What Is the Current Status of Chinese Overseas Police Operations in 2026?

Although some Western countries have closed Chinese police stations and there is international pressure, China’s overseas police presence has changed instead of shrinking. The network now focuses less on secret stations in big Western cities and more on other approaches, such as:

Making formal agreements with countries that have weaker government systems
Partnering on surveillance technology to increase monitoring without needing to be physically present
Running joint patrols that make Chinese police work seem more legitimate in other countries
Offering police training programs that help spread Chinese influence in local security forces

These changes show that China is adapting its strategy to deal with international criticism, rather than giving up on its goal of policing outside its borders.

References Part 1

[i] Peter Cluskey, Dutch ministry to investigate reports of China operating two illegal ‘police stations’ in country (Oct. 26, 2022)

[ii] Id.

[iii] NOS News, China has illegal police stations in the Netherlands, indications of intimidation (Oct. 25, 2022)

[iv] Id.

[v] Netherlands Posts English, China has illegal police stations in the Netherlands: indications of intimidation (Oct. 25, 2022)

[vi] Fred Basset, China accused of opening ‘illegal police stations’ in UK and Europe (Oct. 26, 2022)

[vii] Hesham Elrafei, Treaty Convention, International Law Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties Explained (Mar. 31, 2021)

[viii] Brookings Institution, China’s overseas police stations: An imminent security threat? (Feb. 2024)

[ix] Safeguard Defenders, Patrol and Persuade: A follow-up investigation to 110 Overseas (Dec. 2022)

References Part 2

[x] U.S. Department of Justice, Two New York Residents Charged with Operating Illegal Chinese Police Station in Manhattan’s Chinatown (Apr. 17, 2023)

[xi] Associated Press, Canada investigates alleged Chinese police posts in Quebec (Mar. 9, 2023)

[xii] The Guardian, Netherlands demands closure of unauthorized Chinese police stations (Dec. 2022)

[xiii] UK Parliament, Statement on Unauthorized Chinese Police Stations (Jun. 2023)

[xiv] G7, G7 Hiroshima Leaders’ Communiqué (May 20, 2023)

[xv] U.S. Department of Justice, Justice Department Charges 12 Chinese Contract Hackers and Law Enforcement Officers in Global Computer Intrusion Campaigns (Mar. 5, 2025)

[xvi] Freedom House, Transnational Repression in the Digital Age (2024)

[xvii] Safeguard Defenders, 10 years since Gui Minhai’s kidnapping (Oct. 15, 2025)

[xviii] Australian Strategic Policy Institute, The united front work system and its role in influence operations (2024)

References Part 3

[xix] CSIS China Power Project, The Purges Within China’s Military Are Even Deeper Than You Think (Feb. 24, 2026)

[xx] Bonny Lin et al., Assessing Xi’s Unprecedented Purges of China’s Military: Key Developments and Potential Implications, Center for Strategic and International Studies(Feb. 24, 2026)

[xxi] Human Rights Watch, China: Repression Deepens, Extends Abroad, World Report 2026 (Feb. 4, 2026)

[xxii] Human Rights Watch, World Report 2026 (Feb. 2026)

[xxiii] Harrison Budak, Chinese Police in the Western Balkans: Cooperation or a Wider Influence Network?, China Observers in Central and Eastern Europe(Jan. 26, 2026)

[xxiv] Dawn Norris Doak, Americans in the Crosshairs of Chinese Transnational Repression, Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center (Jul. 7, 2025)

[xxv] U.S. Department of Justice, United States v. Michael McMahon, Zhu Yong, and Zheng Congying (sentencing Apr. 16, 2025)

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[Article Note: This piece was originally published on NewsBreak and has been archived and transferred to DOPE Quick Reads to preserve its informational value. Original publication date: 2022-12-20]