New Delhi, June 5: Concerns were raised again in the U.S. Congress about the Chinese government’s attempts to silence critics beyond its borders. During a hearing on Thursday, lawmakers, state officials, and democracy advocates highlighted China’s growing campaign of intimidation, surveillance, and pressure not only within its territory but across the globe.
The hearing was held by the Congressional Executive Commission on China (CECC) on the 37th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Lawmakers noted that China’s tactics have evolved from domestic repression to a global strategy of “transnational repression,” extending its reach beyond national borders.
At the start of the hearing, co-chairman Congressman Chris Smith stated that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) employs various methods. These include detaining family members in China, doxxing individuals, using spyware, creating deepfake videos, offering bounties related to Hong Kong, and even operating illegal police stations in the U.S.
Co-chairman Congressman Jim McGovern emphasized that China is the largest transnational repressive state in the world. Citing data from Freedom House, he mentioned that there have been 319 such cases reported since 2014. He urged Congress to pass the “Transnational Repression Policy Act” to legally define this issue and strengthen the government’s response.
One of the most compelling testimonies came from Arthur Liu, a former pro-democracy activist in China who relocated to California after the 1989 Tiananmen movement. Liu recounted that he believed political persecution had ended upon arriving in the U.S., but everything changed in 2021 when the FBI informed him that a Chinese agent was gathering information about him and his daughter, Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu, in an effort to exert pressure ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Liu stated, “The FBI advised me to be cautious and vigilant.”
He revealed that agents informed him that the suspected spy could monitor his activities, potentially place a GPS tracker on his vehicle, and attempt to access his passport information.
Liu expressed deep concern for his daughter Alysa’s safety as she prepared to compete in China on behalf of the U.S.
This hearing took place at a time when lawmakers are once again calling for new legislation to improve coordination among federal, state, and local agencies in addressing such issues.
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