The ABC can reveal a 'contact point' linked to police in a Chinese city has gone online and remains operational in Australia. Similar operations have been investigated by US authorities for espionage, but Australian authorities remain unconcerned.
The establishment of recent operations in Australia, the United States, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Israel and Angola was to "establish a regular position for overseas compatriots to connect with their hometowns", Xinhua Daily reported in July last year.
She added a previous contact point with a physical location, also linked to the Nantong authorities, was no longer active and shut down its services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Attorney-General's department, which oversees that scheme, said it was aware of media reports and it was taking the allegations of a Chinese police presence in Australia seriously.
In a statement, the Chinese embassy in Canberra stressed: "China does not have any so-called overseas 'police stations' at all, and the relevant service platforms of overseas Chinese organisations are engaged in activities such as assisting Chinese citizens who are inconvenienced in returning to their home country".
Alex Deng, a former Chinese police officer currently residing in the United States, suspected China's overseas contact points could be part of Beijing's national security police. "They assume that if they take the risk and succeed, they will continue. If they meet any objections, then they will return the line ball."
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