On May 11, a federal jury in New York convicted Chen Jian, a New York City resident, of acting as an unregistered agent for the Chinese government. The case stems from federal prosecutors' allegations that he ran a 'secret police station' on behalf of Beijing in Manhattan's Chinatown.
According to the indictment, from 2018 to 2022, Chen Jian leased a second-floor office at 181 Canal Street, turning it into what prosecutors described as a Chinese police outpost. There, he gathered information from the Chinese diaspora, conducted investigations on dissidents, and sent reports to Chinese security agencies. Prosecutors characterized the actions as a 'violation of sovereignty' and a 'threat to U.S. national security.'
Prosecutors presented evidence that Chen Jian received more than $200,000 from accounts linked to the Chinese government to cover operational costs. Defense lawyers argued that their client only carried out community cultural activities and did not break U.S. law. However, the jury convicted him after three hours of deliberation.
This is one of the first U.S. cases involving so-called Chinese 'secret police stations.' Chen Jian faces up to 10 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for September. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected the allegations, calling them slander aimed at tarnishing China's image.
