A mysterious car bearing the markings of a Chinese police vehicle has been spotted in Melbourne, sparking fears of Chinese Communist Party intimidation tactics. The Victoria-registered 2015 silver Nissan Maxima has been fitted out with Chinese police decals, and text on the rear passenger door claims it is 'Special Police'. The vehicle also has a cuddly toy and box of tissues on the dashboard, and what appears to be a disabled parking permit hanging from its rear view mirror.
Similar fake Chinese police cars were spotted in Adelaide and Perth three years ago at the time of the Hong Kong protests, sparking outrage from pro-democracy campaigners. Activists fear the new police-marked vehicle may be the latest escalation in attempts by Chinese President Xi Jinping to intimidate Chinese migrants overseas. More than 100 secret police stations are said to be in operation in 53 countries with reported dark sites located in the UK, Canada, US, and Australia.
The FBI recently arrested two defendants - Lu Jianwang (61) and Chen Jinping (59) - both U.S. citizens residing respectively in Washington's Bronx area and Manhattan region for setting up an illegal Chinese Ministry of Public Security (MPS) station right inside New York City aimed at intimidating dissidents critical towards China's government within America.
"The Justice Department says that these men helped establish this outpost back in 2022," quotes William Harrison from NY Daily Times. "Once they became aware of FBI's investigation into their activities they attempted to delete communications linked between them."
This marks an essential step forward for law enforcement globally as it makes America become the first country ever making arrests around such clandestine foreign-run facilities operating on its soil.
Federal prosecutors have charged more than one dozen defendants over last year; mostly comprising officials working under China’s communist regime participating extensively across diverse schemes including repatriating critics against Beijing administration while obtaining sensitive data about an investigation into a Chinese telecom company and recruiting spies.
The mysterious appearance of a car resembling a Chinese police vehicle in Melbourne has raised concerns globally about the reach of China's influence over its migrants. With more than 100 secret police stations operating worldwide, it is crucial for law enforcement agencies to continue working together to protect the rights and safety of individuals from foreign intimidation tactics.