This is how a group of Chinese spies in the US operate

Its purpose was to spy on and discredit Chinese dissidents living in US territory and pass those reports on to Chinese government intelligence. The victims were mainly Tibetan and Uyghur separatists, members of the Falun Gong spiritual movement, Taiwan independence activists and members of the pro-democracy movement in China. The “Five Poisons”, as Beijing has defined them. BBC report

Anthony Zipuris A former prison officer and bodyguard in the state of Florida, he returned Arthur LiuFather of an Olympic figure skater Alyssa Liu, to ask for their passports. A short time later, the FBI telephoned a Chinese government dissident and opposition activist rooted in California, warning him that he was the victim of Beijing espionage.

“They told me that the Chinese government had sent spies to Bahia, San Francisco to get information about my passport and my daughter’s passport – Liu told the BBC -. I would say I wasn’t shocked, but I thought these people were taking it seriously.

Zipuris’ mission is to spy on and discredit Chinese dissidents for Beijing’s intelligence services. According to some reports, the spying involved two American citizens, Liu and Yan CheongUS Army chaplain and congressional candidate involved in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.

In March, Zipuris was charged by the US Department of Justice with espionage on behalf of the Chinese government. But he’s not the only undercover agent in America. In 2022 alone, 12 more were identified, including US citizens working in Beijing.

Zhao Lijian, A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry argues that this is an unfair campaign of “slander and slander” by the US against China. However, US intelligence reports confirm the activities of a major Chinese espionage campaign.

John Wray, director of the FBI, argues that Chinese espionage in the United States is more brazen than ever. FBI offices open a new case every 12 hours, registering hundreds of dissidents living in the United States and being monitored by the Chinese government. “Most are permanent residents or naturalized citizens, who have important rights and protections under U.S. law,” Ray explained. Who are they? Mainly Tibetan and Uyghur separatists, members of the spiritual movement.

Falun Gong, Taiwan independence activists and members of the pro-democracy movement in China. The “Five Poisons”, as defined by Beijing. Methods of espionage include hacking emails and electronic devices, and physical pursuit of social circles or systems of contact with dissidents.