After the release of the investigative report “China Targets” exposing the Chinese Communist Party’s transnational suppression of overseas dissidents, three political parties in Denmark have called on the government to investigate the Chinese Communist Party’s crackdown on dissenters and minorities in the Nordic countries.
The investigation, jointly conducted by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, the Danish newspaper “Politiken,” and 41 other media outlets, was published on April 28. Following the release of the report, three major Danish political parties urged the government to formally investigate the Chinese Communist Party’s actions in the region targeting dissidents and minority groups.
According to a report by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists on Wednesday, the left-wing “Unity List,” the right-wing “Danish People’s Party,” and the centrist “The Alternative” expressed concerns and requested the government to clarify the extent and scope of the Chinese Communist Party’s monitoring and suppression of political dissidents and oppressed minority groups, as well as Denmark’s response to these actions.
Morten Messerschmidt, the leader of the Danish People’s Party, stated that the report “China Targets” revealed the true face of the Chinese Communist Party. European politicians have long turned a blind eye to its transnational suppression tactics. He mentioned, “China (the Chinese Communist Party) successfully controls its own people by totalitarian means and seeks to extend this mode of control globally.”
The report revealed that the Chinese authorities use proxies and professional hackers to suppress overseas dissenting voices. The investigation involved examining internal Chinese Communist Party documents and interviewing 105 individuals from 23 countries who have been threatened by the Party, including supporters from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibetans, and Uighurs.
Half of the interviewees stated that their relatives in China or Hong Kong were interrogated or harassed by police or state security within hours of participating in demonstrations or publicly speaking out overseas. Sixty people mentioned being surveilled or tracked in their localities.
Lhagyari Namgyal Dolkar, a Tibetan exile government official, highlighted that many overseas Tibetans have chosen to remain silent out of concern for the safety of their families back home. She stated, “We see more and more Tibetans choosing silence, especially those who still have relatives in Tibet.”
The report detailed the case of Chinese human rights activist Liu Dongling, who fled China to Europe but continues to face threats. Liu opposed forced demolitions in her hometown, escaped to Denmark with her son in 2018, and applied for asylum in 2022. However, in a reception center, she was followed and threatened by a Chinese man.
During her time in Denmark, Liu became a spokesperson for the “End the Firewall” movement. In 2023, the founder of the movement went missing in Laos, was later extradited to China, and after Liu took over his position, her asylum application was rejected on the grounds of not proving the risk of persecution upon return to China. Liu and her son then moved to Sweden but faced online abuse, accusations of being a Chinese spy, and even had their personal information exposed.
According to the Swedish newspaper “Gothenburg Post,” Liu Dongling has experienced at least 20 harassment incidents, some directly linked to Chinese official sources.
Rosa Lund, a Unity List member, emphasized, “Even when you escape China, the Chinese Communist regime continues to monitor you. We in Europe have a responsibility to defend basic human rights and freedoms.”
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists noted that since Xi Jinping came to power, the Chinese Communist Party actively misuses international organizations, including Interpol and the United Nations in Geneva, using red notices to suppress dissenters.
However, Chinese embassies in 11 countries have denied these allegations, calling the report “fabricated.”
“Politiken” highlighted Danish lawmakers urging for an investigation into China’s transboundary suppression actions similar to Switzerland and the UK, where such actions are considered a threat to democracy, comparable to terrorism. The UK Parliament has also held hearings on this issue.
Helene Brydensholt, a member of The Alternative party, stated, “It is a grave matter when foreign regimes monitor citizens in Denmark, depriving them of their freedom of speech. As politicians, we must take this seriously.”