Image via Unsplash: Alejandro Luengo
Since U.S. President Trump’s election, there are signs of a potential shift in U.S.-China relations. Despite strained bilateral ties towards the end of his first term and throughout the Biden administration, Trump has already signaled a willingness to reset the relationship. On his first day back in office, he suggested that tensions with Beijing could be resolved through negotiation, indicating he might ease restrictions on Chinese companies and seek new trade arrangements .
The rhetoric has been hawkish on China and might allow the U.S., as one of INTERPOL’s main funders, to push the organization to be more vigilant against Chinese manipulation. However, recent actions tell a different story. A recent deportation flight on January 6, 2025, was the fifth large-scale removal flight to China in less than seven months. This cooperation on deportations shows significant diplomatic engagement with China without meaningful action on human rights issues.
This paradox highlights a troubling trend: democratic nations aligning with authoritarian regimes on issues of mutual interest, even at the expense of human rights. In the UK, the Chancellor has recently hailed her trip to Beijing to increase economic activity whilst the UK government pays only lip service to human rights issues in China.
These developments make it more urgent than ever to examine how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has weaponized international law enforcement mechanisms, particularly INTERPOL, to target political dissidents, human rights defenders, and critics of its regime. This strategy represents a profound and systemic threat to international law enforcement. The exploitation is emblematic of China’s broader strategy of transnational repression – sophisticated, far-reaching, and deeply troubling.
If left unchecked, this trend could erode the global asylum system, discouraging political refugees from seeking safe haven in democratic nations. It also complicates efforts to challenge the CCP’s abuses within international institutions, as authoritarian regimes can point to such actions to deflect criticism and claim legitimacy for their oppressive practices. As China expands its influence over international institutions, democratic states like the U.S. must carefully navigate the balance between realpolitik and the principles they claim to champion.