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March 16, 20229:39 PM UTCLast Updated ago
Justice Department accuses China of spying on, intimidating dissidents living in U.S.
By Jan Wolfe
WASHINGTON, March 16 (Reuters) - U.S. federal prosecutors on Wednesday accused Chinese government agents of trying to spy on and intimidate dissidents living in the United States including a congressional candidate.
Justice Department officials said the three criminal cases amounted to "transnational repression" by an authoritarian government, including a discussion of assaulting one dissident.
"These cases expose attempts by the government of the People's Republic of China to suppress dissenting voices within the United States and demonstrate how the PRC attempts to stalk, intimidate and silence those who oppose them," Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen told a news conference.
In one of the cases, federal prosecutors said a Chinese government agent approached a U.S. private investigator to help manufacture a political scandal that would undermine a China-born man seeking the Democratic nomination to run for a New York seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
At one point, the Chinese agent proposed that the private investigator consider physically attacking the candidate to prevent his candidacy, according to prosecutors.
"You can start thinking now, aside from violence, what other plans are there," the Chinese agent allegedly said. "But in the end, violence would be fine too. Huh? Beat him, beat him until he cannot run for election."...