China's expanding reach raises alarm after Hong Kong activist blocked in Thailand

According to HKFP, the activist, Zhang Xinyan, had been scheduled to travel to Vancouver last week after completing the necessary refugee resettlement procedures.

However, Canada-based activist Zang Xihong, also known by her pen name Sheng Xue, said Zhang informed her that Thai police intervened shortly before departure and stopped her from leaving the country. Zhang, 55, is a Chinese dissident and practitioner of Falun Gong, a spiritual movement outlawed by the Chinese government.

She fled China for Thailand in 2014 after her passport was reportedly revoked by the Chinese embassy in Bangkok. According to Zang, Zhang was later recognised as a refugee by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), while Canadian officials facilitated her interviews, medical examinations, and travel arrangements for resettlement in Canada. Zhang has been detained in Bangkok since May after being accused of overstaying her visa. She is currently held at the Suan Phlu Immigration Detention Centre.

Officials allege she participated in the overseas "Hong Kong Parliament" initiative, an unofficial body formed by activists abroad that sought to promote democratic representation and the principle of Hong Kong self-governance. Last July, Hong Kong police issued an arrest warrant for Zhang and announced a reward of HK$200,000 for information leading to her capture, as cited by HKFP.

Human Rights Watch's senior Thailand adviser, Sunai Phasuk, described the case as another example of "ongoing transnational repression." He argued that Thai governments have repeatedly faced criticism for cooperating with Beijing by detaining and returning individuals wanted by Chinese authorities, including Uyghurs, despite international human rights concerns, as reported by HKFP. (ANI)