Chen Jinping, a 60-year-old American citizen, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to act as an illegal agent for the Chinese government. This admission comes after federal authorities uncovered the operation of an undeclared Chinese police station in Manhattan’s Chinatown, described as the first known such facility in the United States.
A “Service Station” or a Surveillance Hub?
Chen and his co-defendant, Lu Jianwang, were accused of operating the station on behalf of China’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS) in early 2022. Officially located above a ramen shop, the station did provide basic administrative services, such as renewing driver licenses for Chinese nationals. However, federal investigators revealed that it also served a more sinister purpose—helping Beijing identify and monitor pro-democracy activists within the United States.
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China has denied the allegations, asserting that these outposts, reportedly numbering over 100 across 53 countries, are merely “service stations” aimed at assisting overseas nationals. However, rights groups claim these stations are part of a broader effort by Beijing to threaten and harass Chinese citizens abroad, including activists and dissidents.
Federal Investigation and Arrests
The station was closed in the fall of 2022 following an FBI investigation, which also uncovered that Chen and Lu had destroyed evidence, including text messages exchanged with MPS officials. Both men, who are US citizens, were arrested in April 2023. While Chen has now admitted guilt and faces up to five years in prison, Lu, 59, has pleaded not guilty and awaits trial. Prosecutors accuse Lu of additional crimes, including assisting in locating a pro-democracy activist in California and harassing a fugitive to return to China.
Escalating Threats of Global Surveillance
This case marks the first time US authorities have brought criminal charges related to such overseas police stations. Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen called these actions a “clear affront to American sovereignty.” Federal officials emphasized that such operations are part of China’s transnational repression campaign, which seeks to intimidate and silence critics of the Communist Party beyond its borders.
This is not an isolated incident. In September 2023, Linda Sun, a former aide to the New York governor, was charged with secretly acting as an agent for China. In 2020, the Department of Justice charged several individuals for pressuring a New Jersey man wanted by Beijing to return to China. Additionally, 34 Chinese officers were accused last year of using fake social media accounts to harass dissidents in the US and spread propaganda.
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US authorities have vowed to take strong action against such covert operations. Breon Peace, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, stated that the case demonstrates the commitment to counteract foreign efforts that violate American sovereignty and target diaspora communities.