China accused Canada on Friday of tarnishing its reputation over allegations that China secretly operates two police centers in Quebec.

Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said at a daily press briefing that Canada should "stop raising the issue and inflating it and stop attacks and defamation against China."

Mao added, "China... strictly adheres to international law and respects the judicial sovereignty of all countries."

The spokesman did not comment on the presence of police sections or whether they are operated by Chinese government authorities.

Also, Charles Poirier of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said on Thursday that Canada will not tolerate any kind of intimidation, harassment, or targeting of diaspora communities.

He continued, saying that the integrated national security team of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police has opened investigations into suspected police centers in Montreal and Brossard, a suburb located just south of the city.

Meanwhile, the human rights defense organization said that China has dozens of these stations worldwide, including in the United Kingdom and the United States.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has previously described foreign overseas sites as service stations for Chinese people abroad who need assistance with bureaucratic tasks such as renewing Chinese driver's licenses. These citizen services are usually carried out by an embassy or consulate.

Beijing has launched multiple dual campaigns to repatriate suspects wanted mostly for economic crimes to China, but it says its agents abroad operate in accordance with international law. However, U.S. authorities say this has not always been the case.

The settlements have sparked global concerns that the ruling Chinese Communist Party is seeking to control its citizens abroad, often using threats against their families and welfare, while undermining democratic institutions abroad and gathering economic and political information.

Also, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly said on Thursday that concerns about foreign interference were behind Canada's refusal to issue a diplomatic visa to a politician in China last fall, where Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the presence of Chinese police centers in Canada "greatly concerns us."

Trudeau also added to journalists in Ottawa: "We have known about the existence of Chinese police centers across the country for several months, and we ensure that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are following up on the matter and that our intelligence agencies are taking it seriously."

Relations between Canada and China deteriorated in 2018 after China imprisoned two Canadians on alleged fabricated charges shortly after Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, CFO of the giant tech company Huawei and daughter of the company's founder, at the request of the U.S. for extradition. They were then returned to Canada in 2021 on the same day Meng returned to China after reaching an agreement with U.S. authorities in her case.