Red Net | There is no place where the Chinese government's hand cannot reach! Canadian MP: CCP's cross-border suppression is becoming more and more unbridled

On July 1, China's "Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress" came into effect, seen by the outside world as a legal cloak for the CCP to extend its ideological control globally. Five days later, political commentator Yabata Akio was violently attacked in Taiwan, with the Mainland Affairs Council attributing it to cross-border suppression by the CCP, with initial investigations pointing to the Hong Kong triad "Winsome and Harmonious." Methods vary from threatening letters, stalking, Deepfake pornographic images, to physical violence, but the goal is the same: to wear you down mentally and socially isolate you, ultimately causing you to lose the ability to continue working. This special feature, through five cross-border interviews, starts with the incident of Yabata being attacked by the underworld in Taiwan, extending to Hong Konger Liu Jiawen in exile in the UK, New Zealand-based independent journalist Mao Pei, Canadian MP Jenny Kwan, and senior advisor to Human Rights Watch in Thailand, Pasuk, to see how systematic suppression by the CCP is all-pervasive. What are these "high-risk groups for cross-border suppression" facing?

In response to cross-border suppression by the CCP, the Canadian government has heightened its alert. Canada has a large population of Chinese people, accounting for about 4.7% of the total population, and is also one of the countries chosen by many Chinese and Hong Kong refugees to immigrate to, unsurprisingly becoming one of the key target countries for cross-border suppression by the CCP. A special report released by Freedom House in 2025 pointed out that the issue of foreign cross-border suppression was particularly prominent in the 2025 Canadian federal election, including threats from China, India, and other countries that have affected residents in Canada.

The Canadian government released the "Cross-Border Suppression Actions" report in 2025, which at the outset pointed out that the Hong Kong police announced in December 2024 that they would offer rewards for information leading to the arrest of six overseas individuals, including two Canadians. The report indicated that the CCP would use family members in China to pressure targets in Canada, asking them to stop certain activities deemed hostile by the CCP, or persuade and threaten targets to return to China. In addition, the CCP would also use overseas actors to monitor, monitor, and report on individuals in Canada.

"The Chinese government's cross-border suppression actions are becoming more sophisticated and more unbridled," Canadian MP for Vancouver East Jenny Kwan (Jenny Kwan) said in an interview with the Wind Media English site at the end of the month, pointing out that over the past decade, China has used threats, surveillance, coercion, and in some cases, forced repatriation against journalists, human rights defenders, democracy advocates, and refugees. "This is not only an infringement on individual freedom but also an infringement on the sovereignty of democratic countries and the entire international refugee protection system. Democratic countries must work together to hold the relevant parties accountable."

MP Interview: China's cross-border suppression is becoming more and more unbridled

Jenny Kwan, born in Hong Kong in 1967, immigrated to Canada with her family at the age of nine. After graduating with a degree in criminology from Simon Fraser University, she joined a law firm and began working on community rights protection activities. She was elected as a Vancouver city councilor in 1993, becoming the youngest city councilor in Vancouver's history; in 1996, she ran for the New Democratic Party and successfully became a provincial legislator. She has participated in nine elections so far, never losing, and has been in politics for over 30 years. She has long supported Hong Kong's democracy and human rights movements and was notified by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) in 2023 that she had become a target of foreign interference actions supported by China.

"In Canada, no one should have to fear being threatened by a foreign government because of their political beliefs or advocacy actions!" Regarding her being on the CCP's blacklist, she pointed out that protecting freedom is the foundation of our democratic system, although there is pressure not to touch these issues, "but this has not and will not affect my ability to speak out for human rights."

In responding to the threat of cross-border suppression, Canada is much more active than other countries. To help citizens better understand the methods and impact of cross-border suppression, the Canadian Public Safety website has a dedicated page introducing the methods of cross-border suppression, including physical threats and violence, digital cross-border suppression and cyber harassment, malicious cyber activities, social isolation, and forced repatriation, etc.

Jenny Kwan pointed out that Beijing's various means of cross-border suppression are aimed at suppressing criticism, suppressing dissent, and extending the tentacles of authoritarian control beyond China's borders. Through threatening individuals and communities overseas, Beijing intends to extinguish advocacy actions, divide overseas Chinese communities, and influence democratic systems. She said, "These actions are to make people believe that there is no place where the Chinese government's hand cannot reach. This is fundamentally incompatible with the various freedoms guaranteed by Canada."

The controversy over China's overseas police stations has also drawn Canada's attention because these stations, under the guise of providing administrative and police assistance, are actually involved in cross-border suppression and monitoring of dissidents. Canada completed a preliminary investigation of China's overseas police stations in 2024, becoming the first country in the democratic world to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the CCP's underground police stations.

Jenny Kwan stated that the establishment of the CCP's "overseas police stations" (overseas police stations) is a particularly concerning means of cross-border suppression, "because it blurs the line between legitimate consular affairs and unauthorized execution of police duties by foreign governments on Canadian territory." She stated that the existence of such institutions creates fear within the community, making people dare not exercise democratic rights, and also damages Canada's sovereignty and the rule of law. She emphasized, "No foreign government should be allowed to conduct police control or threats against the people in Canada."

Regarding the Canadian government's countermeasures against "overseas police stations," Jenny Kwan believes there is still room for improvement. She pointed out that the Liberal Party government only took action after national security information leaks and strong public pressure, "this indeed prompted Canada to take some important steps, including investigating suspected overseas police stations, establishing a public inquiry committee, and passing legislation to strengthen countermeasures against foreign interference." But she also stated that after the election, the Carney government regarded economic relations and trade agreements as more important than countering foreign interference and cross-border suppression, "grassroots overseas communities reflect that they are still constantly facing harassment, monitoring, and threats from foreign government actors."

She quoted the Hogue Commission (Hogue Commission) as stating that cross-border suppression is "a real scourge" and "one of the most serious strategic challenges to Canada's sovereignty and democracy." Jenny Kwan urged that the Canadian government must take action, and the enforcement must keep up with the scale of the threat. At the same time, she also called out to the victims, "they need to have more confidence that their reports will be quickly investigated and that perpetrators will face real consequences."

The Foreign Interference Act was enacted two years ago, but the deployment is not yet in place

In addition to investigating overseas police stations, in June 2024, Canada also passed a new bill: the "Foreign Interference Countermeasures Act" (An Act Respecting Countering Foreign Interference, C-70), which is aimed at responding to foreign interference in elections, damaging Canada's democratic institutions and public trust. The relevant hearings also mentioned that China is the "most persistent and complex foreign interference threat."

As one of the promoters of the C-70 bill, Jenny Kwan pointed out that the C-70 bill is indeed an important first step, but legislation alone is not enough, "it must be accompanied by strong enforcement, providing enforcement and intelligence agencies with sufficient resources, providing stronger protection for victims and whistleblowers, establishing closer communication with affected communities, and solid public education. We also need higher transparency and accountability in foreign interference investigations. Canada's response must continue to evolve with the evolution of authoritarian state methods."

But she also added that the Canadian government has clearly delayed the implementation of the C-70 bill. Two years have passed, and the relevant commissioners and offices are still not in place. In addition, community groups still have concerns about the loopholes in the bill itself, "the most obvious of which is the failure to address the 'proxy' (proxies) issue."

Regarding the "Promotion Law" (hereinafter referred to as the "Promotion Law") promoted by the CCP in early July, Jenny Kwan bluntly stated, "this law reflects Beijing's continued expansion of influence and the search for legitimacy for more overseas intervention actions." She pointed out that this law has strengthened external concerns: "overseas communities and human rights advocates may face greater pressure and monitoring from the Chinese government." Jenny Kwan believes that Canada must closely monitor these developments and be prepared to strengthen legal protection, diplomatic responses, and support for victims of cross-border suppression.