Chinese-American pro-democracy activist Yuanjun Tang, based in New York City, has been charged with spying on fellow dissidents for the Chinese government, according to an indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court. The indictment reveals that Tang, 67, secretly worked as an agent for the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) from 2018 to 2023. He is accused of conspiring to work as a foreign agent without properly registering with US authorities. Tang, a naturalized American citizen who was imprisoned in China after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, has been an active pro-democracy advocate in the US, regularly collaborating with other Chinese dissidents.
However, the complaint alleges that Tang has been collecting information to send back to the Chinese government. Court papers reveal that he provided information about individuals and groups viewed as potentially adverse to China’s interests, particularly US-based Chinese democracy activists and dissidents. One of his targets was Xiong Yan, a Chinese pro-democracy activist who ran for Congress in 2022. Yan eventually dropped out of the race, stating that he knew he was a victim of spying by unregistered Chinese agents. He also claimed to be the victim of a smear campaign, including being set up with a prostitute, which affected his ability to raise funds in his community.
The New York Post initially exposed the alleged Chinese spying operation dubbed “Operation Foxhunt,” revealing that Chinese spies were operating out of an office above a Chinatown noodle shop in Lower Manhattan. Safeguard Defenders, a Madrid-based non-profit, reported that there are approximately 100 clandestine Chinese police stations worldwide, including at least one in Manhattan’s Chinatown.
Tang’s alleged espionage activities involved traveling to Macau and China for face-to-face meetings with his handlers. In exchange for cash, he provided the Chinese government with information about pro-democracy events in the US. One instance mentioned in the complaint involved Tang meeting with an MSS officer who installed a “bug” on his phone, allowing all photos and videos to be transmitted directly to his handlers in China. Tang used this compromised phone to take a photograph at the opening of the June 4th Memorial Museum, a pop-up museum established in remembrance of the Tiananmen Square massacre. The museum opened in New York after the original one in Hong Kong was closed by the authorities there.
Tang’s attorney has not yet commented on the charges, and he has not entered a plea. This case highlights the ongoing efforts by the Chinese government to target and monitor dissidents both within China and abroad. The establishment of numerous Chinese police stations worldwide indicates a concerted effort to suppress pro-democracy movements and maintain control over Chinese citizens living abroad. The involvement of Chinese spies operating in the US raises concerns about the safety and security of Chinese dissidents and activists residing in the country. It serves as a stark reminder of the lengths authoritarian regimes will go to suppress dissent and maintain power.
