Leaders of the Chinese police station have assisted Beijing in organizing counter protests against Falun Gong demonstrations and locating the regime’s targets. In a related incident, a New York man has confessed to acting as an illegal Chinese agent by running a secret police station for Beijing in Manhattan. Chen Jinping, a U.S. citizen, pleaded guilty to this charge, marking progress in combating the Chinese regime’s transnational repression scheme. Chen was arrested along with another individual in April 2023 for operating the illegal police station, which was one of over 100 such outposts established globally by Beijing.
Chen faces up to five years in prison for his involvement in setting up the station under the guise of the American ChangLe Association in Manhattan’s Chinatown. The association purportedly served as a gathering place for immigrants from China’s Fujian Province. Chen, who was the secretary general of the association, and Lu Jianwang, the former president, were implicated in this illegal operation.
The station was established in mid-February 2022 and aided a Chinese official from the Ministry of Public Security in locating a California pro-democracy advocate. Lu, in a notice sent to Chen, instructed the station to grant access privileges to the 110 system, which is synonymous with police in China. Federal prosecutors revealed that Lu had a close relationship with Chinese authorities and had engaged in activities supporting the Chinese government during Xi Jinping’s visit to the United States in 2015.
The FBI raided the secret police station in October 2022, seizing phones and uncovering deleted conversations with Chinese police officials. U.S. Attorney Breon Peace emphasized the importance of protecting vulnerable individuals fleeing authoritarian regimes, while Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen condemned Chen’s actions as “brazen.” The Department of Justice vowed to pursue anyone aiding the Chinese government’s repressive activities in the United States.
In conclusion, the FBI’s investigation and subsequent legal actions underscore the ongoing efforts to combat foreign interference targeting diaspora communities in the United States. Please rewrite this sentence.
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