The FBI uncovers a secret Chinese police station in New York

NEW YORK – Two men were arrested Monday for setting up a Chinese “police station” in New York, and 34 Chinese public security officials are charged with surveillance and harassment of dissidents living in the United States. weAccording to the authorities.

Brooklyn Attorney General Brion Pace said the arrests and indictments indicated “transnational plans of repression directed against members of the Chinese diaspora in New York and other parts of the United States.”

The two arrested men have been identified as Harry Lu Jianwang, 61, and Chen Jinping, 59, who were accused by US officials of opening an office last year in Chinatown, a neighborhood known to have Asian immigrants, at the request of the Ministry of Public Affairs. Security (MPS), the country’s police force China.

Pace said the office, which is not registered as required by the US government, provided services such as renewing Chinese driver’s licenses.

But, he added, it also has the function of tracking and harassing dissidents in the People’s Republic of China.

Harassment of dissidents

Lu and Chen were charged with acting as unregistered agents of a foreign government and destroying evidence of their contacts with Chinese government officials.

In a related case, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced charges against 34 members of the Public Prosecution Office involved in the harassment of dissidents abroad.

They were part of the MPS 12 Special Project Working Group, described by the Department of Justice as a team set up to pursue Chinese dissidents.

According to the US, the task force created thousands of fake profiles on social networks to target “Chinese dissidents through harassment and threats”.

“It is not an ordinary police force,” Salam said at a news conference. It does not protect people and does not fight crime. commits crimes by targeting democracy activists and dissidents based outside of China, including here in New York City.”

The case was discovered at the worst time in the US-China relationship

The incident comes at the worst moment in diplomatic relations between Washington and Beijing, which have deteriorated since the beginning of the year.

In February, the United States shot down a plane A Chinese balloon blames Washington To carry out espionage activities on American soil. China’s foreign ministry declared its “strong dissatisfaction and protest” after the United States dropped its balloon.

The dispute between the two countries intensified with the visit of the President of the Republic TaiwanAnd Tsai Ing-wenTo the United States in April. The politician met with the Speaker of Parliament at weRepublican Kevin McCarthy in California.

In response, Beijing conducted several military exercises in areas near Taiwan. China considers the self-governing, democratic island a rebellious province as part of its territory, and says it is ready to take it back, including by force if necessary.France Press agency