Two New York residents, Lu Jianwang and Chen Jinping, were arrested by US federal agents for allegedly running a Chinese “secret police station” in Manhattan’s Chinatown district.
The arrests were part of a crackdown on Beijing’s alleged targeting of dissidents. Lu and Chen face charges of conspiring to act as agents of China’s government without informing US authorities and obstruction of justice.
The Chinese government has denied the existence of such stations and said that centers outside China are run by local volunteers.
The Department of Justice has been investigating “transnational repression” by US adversaries such as China and Iran to intimidate political opponents living in the United States.
Lu and Chen lead a nonprofit organization that provides a social gathering place for people from China’s Fujian province.
The men’s New York operation occupied a full floor in a building in Chinatown and was used for government services like helping some Chinese citizens renew their drivers’ licenses.
However, it was also used for more “sinister” activities, according to prosecutors.
The FBI has expressed concern about the presence of such stations in US cities.
Article updated 1 week ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
