Yuanjun Tang, a former Chinese citizen now living in New York, has been charged by the Department of Justice for operating as an illegal agent of the Chinese government from 2018 to 2023. The DOJ alleges that Tang worked on behalf of China’s Ministry of State Security to spy on Chinese pro-democracy activists and dissidents, providing information to Chinese intelligence officers that was deemed to be potentially against China’s interests. Tang is also accused of helping MSS infiltrate a group chat used by Chinese dissidents. He allegedly made false statements to the FBI when questioned about his communications with his MSS handler.
Tang, who was imprisoned in China for his activities as a dissident and later granted political asylum in the U.S., became a citizen of the United States. A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy to the United States stated that they were unaware of the details of the case but emphasized that China requires its citizens abroad to comply with the laws of their host country. The Chinese government firmly opposes what they view as baseless attacks against the country.
Reuters was unable to reach Tang for comment on the charges. The case highlights ongoing concerns about foreign influence and espionage activities in the United States.
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