Chinese police stations in the Netherlands must close their doors for good because their presence is ‘unacceptable’, foreign minister Wopke Hoekstra has told the Chinese ambassador.

Last week FTM and broadcaster RTL Nieuws reported that two provincial Chinese forces had set up operations in the Netherlands that were being used not only to provide consular services but to monitor and put pressure on Chinese dissidents.

The foreign minister told RTL that while it is clear the bureaus, described by the Chinese as service stations, do provide consular help, they had not asked for permission to do so and that is reason enough to order them to close down.

In the meantime, the ministry will look into the bureaus in more detail and consult other EU countries where police stations are also thought to be located, Hoekstra said.