The Chinese embassy's spokesperson criticized the Justice Department for supposedly tarnishing China's reputation after charging two New Yorkers with allegedly running a secret police station in Manhattan's Chinatown.
These charges have been described by the Justice Department as a matter of "significant national security." Moreover, the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York has accused numerous Chinese government police officers of being part of an "army of Internet trolls" that has harassed Chinese activists and dissidents worldwide, including those in New York City.
Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in the United States, has accused Washington of using fabricated charges to exercise "long-arm jurisdiction" by prosecuting Chinese citizens under the guise of "transnational repression," according to Fox News.
The Chinese official claims that the US is engaged in "political manipulation" aimed at damaging China's reputation.
Despite the copious amounts of evidence uncovered by the Justice Department, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday that China does not run any secret police stations in New York City.
According to the Chinese government, there are facilities outside of China that assist Chinese people with document renewal and provide other services. These centers are staffed by local volunteers rather than Chinese police personnel.
China Allegedly Running a Secret Police Station in New York
As part of a crackdown on Beijing's suspected targeting of dissidents, US federal officials detained two New York residents on Monday for allegedly running a Chinese "secret police station" in Manhattan's Chinatown, Reuters reported.
Charges of plotting to serve as agents of the Chinese government without telling US authorities and obstructing justice are brought against Lu Jianwang, 61, and Chen Jinping, 59. After making their first appearance in federal court in Brooklyn, they were freed on bail.
China has established abroad "service stations," notably in New York, that unlawfully collaborated with Chinese authorities to persuade fugitives to return to China, according to a study released in 2022 by the advocacy organization Safeguard Defenders, which has its headquarters in Spain.
US Says China is Oppressing Political Opponents
In a distinct complaint, 34 China Ministry of Public Security officers were charged by the US Justice Department of using fake social media accounts to intimidate Chinese dissenters in the US and spread propaganda to counter pro-democracy speech, according to CBS News.
They were part of a secretive task force that persecuted dissidents abroad and interfered with online conferences critical of the Chinese government.
The US Department of Justice is investigating "transnational repression" carried out by rivals such as China and Iran to frighten political opponents in the United States
Senior prosecutor Breon Peace said the US would not condone China's harassment of pro-democracy activists seeking asylum.
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