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It often starts with a phone call — a calm, persuasive voice urging an émigré to return to China. At first, the approach may seem gentle; if it fails, it can quickly turn threatening. No matter how far they run, critics of China’s Communist Party are finding they are never truly out of its grasp.
Recent findings from an international journalism consortium have exposed the sweeping and sophisticated efforts by Beijing to monitor, pressure, and sometimes intimidate its opponents abroad. France and Canada have emerged as particular hotspots, where many who once sought refuge now find themselves caught in a hidden web of surveillance and coercion.
The campaign, overseen by China’s Ministry of State Security, targets a wide range of people: Uyghur Muslims fleeing mass detentions, Tibetan activists, Hong Kong protesters, former dissidents, and members of the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement. Whether they resettled in Paris’s Belleville district or Toronto’s Scarborough neighborhood, many carried with them the fear they thought they had left behind.
For some, the threat becomes deeply personal. A Uyghur student living in Paris recounted the relentless phone calls from a caller claiming to be an official in China — the message was simple and chilling: cooperate or your family will pay the price. In Montreal, a pro-democracy advocate realized his activism abroad had led authorities to interrogate his relatives back in Guangdong province.
Experts describe these acts as “transnational repression” — systematic attempts by authoritarian regimes to silence critics beyond their borders. While Russia and Iran have drawn attention for similar tactics, China’s operations stand out for their scale, organization, and stealth.
Central to Beijing’s strategy is the method known as “persuasion to return,” combining psychological pressure with explicit threats, sometimes culminating in forced returns. Chinese officials openly tout these techniques as tools to fight corruption and safeguard national security. Yet human rights advocates argue that many targeted individuals are guilty only of political dissent.
Leaked documents obtained by investigative journalists reveal that China’s Ministry of State Security maintains extensive databases of overseas targets, not just limited to activists, but also students, scholars, and businesspeople deemed politically unreliable. These surveillance efforts leverage diaspora networks, student organizations, and even private investigators hired locally.
France, home to a significant exile community, has become a major arena for such tactics. Dissidents report being followed, receiving unsolicited warnings from strangers, and having their online communications snooped on. In severe cases, unknown operatives deliver threats aimed at family members still in China.
Similar patterns have surfaced in Canada. A Tibetan activist in Vancouver detailed receiving dozens of anonymous emails accusing him of treason and warning him of future “punishment.” Meanwhile, Chinese-language media outlets — some allegedly linked to state actors — have smeared outspoken individuals as criminals or traitors.
While governments in France and Canada have acknowledged these issues, responses have been measured. French officials admit that acts of surveillance and harassment occur, though prosecutions are rare. In Canada, intelligence services have started advising vulnerable communities to stay alert and report suspicious contact.
Part of the challenge is the ambiguous nature of these operations. Much of the intimidation exists in a gray legal zone — anonymous calls, cyberbullying, social ostracism — and even when actions cross into criminal territory, victims often hesitate to go to authorities, fearing backlash or doubting remedies are available.
Diplomatic considerations further muddy the waters. Both France and Canada have substantial economic ties with China and are wary of provoking Beijing. Chinese officials, for their part, categorically dismiss allegations of overseas repression as politically motivated slander. Diplomatic tensions occasionally flare, as seen in Canada’s recent expulsion of a Chinese diplomat accused of targeting an outspoken legislator.
Nonetheless, the broader implications are troubling. If authoritarian governments can extend their influence into democratic societies, it raises urgent questions about the boundaries of free speech, asylum protections, and the sovereignty of open nations.
For the individuals ensnared in these operations, the consequences are severe. Living in a state of constant vigilance, many alter their routines, shy away from political activity, and distance themselves from fellow exiles, all in an attempt to minimize risk. Some have reported symptoms indicative of chronic stress or PTSD.
Civil society organizations are increasingly calling for stronger defenses.
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