What's happened
Chen Jinping, 60, pleaded guilty in Brooklyn federal court to conspiracy for operating an undeclared Chinese police station in Manhattan. This marks a significant step in U.S. efforts to counter foreign influence and protect local communities from transnational repression. He faces up to five years in prison at sentencing on May 30, 2025.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to the New York Times, Chen Jinping admitted to his role in establishing an illegal police station, stating, 'This illegal police station was not opened in the interest of public safety, but to further the nefarious and repressive aims of the PRC.' The Guardian emphasized that this operation was part of a broader scheme to suppress pro-democracy activists in the U.S., with U.S. Attorney Breon Peace noting it was a 'transnational repression scheme.' Meanwhile, the Independent reported that Chen's actions included attempting to remove a critical article about the police station, illustrating the lengths to which he went to conceal the operation. The South China Morning Post highlighted that the Chinese government denies these outposts are police stations, claiming they serve to assist citizens with administrative tasks.
How we got here
The case stems from a broader investigation into China's establishment of overseas police stations aimed at suppressing dissent among Chinese nationals abroad. Chen and his co-defendant, Lu Jianwang, were arrested in April 2023 as part of a crackdown on foreign agents operating in the U.S.
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