Last month, the Netherlands ordered China to close two “police stations” in the country, while authorities in Canada, Germany, Ireland, and Spain have launched investigations.
On Wednesday, the Italian government also pledged to look into the matter and said they will not exclude sanctions on China.
“There is no authorisation from the Department of Public Security for this activity,” Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi told the Chamber of Deputies. “The police and intelligence forces will monitor it with the utmost attention”.
According to Safeguard Defenders, Italy alone is home to 11 “illegal” Chinese stations, more than any other country.
The NGO says that the “stations” use former military and intelligence officers as employees to encourage up to 230,000 Chinese nationals to return to the country, sometimes to face criminal charges. China’s government said the reports were “completely false”.
Italy is one of the western countries with the largest Chinese population, around 330,000 according to the “La Reppublica” newspaper.