The Government has sought answers from the Chinese embassy about the presence of a Chinese “police service station” in Dublin. (https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2022/10/08/government-seeks-answers-from-chinese-embassy-on-police-service-station-in-dublin/) The Fuzhou Police Overseas Service Station opened in Dublin earlier this year in an office building on Capel Street which it shares with other Chinese organisations. Signage for the station was removed from the front of the building last week and it is not known if it remains operational. Queries to the the embassy and a phone number associated with the station went unanswered this week. The embassy previously said the station offers administrative assistance to Chinese nationals living in Ireland, such as facilitating drivers’ licence renewals. It rejected reports the station was involved in law enforcement activity. A recent report from human rights group Safeguard Defenders said the station is part of a worldwide network of overseas Chinese law enforcement offices, some of which have been known to “persuade” Chinese residents to return home to face criminal charges. Some of these stations are accused of pressurising or threatening emigrants and their family members to force them to return home. According to Chinese authorities, some 230,000 people have been “persuaded” to return to China from other countries since April 2021.