【Epoch Times, October 22, 2026】The China Democracy Party International Alliance held a rally on October 18 in front of the Flushing Library in Queens, protesting against the transnational suppression by the Chinese Communist Party. Display boards were set up on-site, showcasing photos of Chinese police threatening party members’ families, as well as images of human rights activists being violently attacked during previous protests in Washington. Through amplification devices, relevant phone calls and WeChat recordings were played to expose the tactics of transnational suppression to passersby.
The chairman of the alliance, Jielijian, stated that around the September visit of Xi Jinping to the US and the organization’s protest in Washington, the alliance has identified over 20 incidents involving members and their families being intimidated, threatened, and harassed. Some individuals were threatened before departure, forced to abandon the protest, yet still subjected to subsequent harassment and threats.
Member of the alliance from Jiangxi, Xu Qiren, provided a recording of a phone call with local state security personnel in China. It was revealed that before Xu Qiren traveled to protest in Washington, local officials took his mother to a Communist Party institution in his hometown and called him in front of her, stating they had knowledge of his involvement with the China Democracy Party International Alliance and his association with Jielijian, demanding him to withdraw from the organization.
The officials also mentioned Xu Qiren’s wife being pregnant, warning him that continuing to participate in activities could affect his mother and could lead to imprisonment upon his return to China. From overseas political activities, interpersonal connections, to family situations like his wife’s pregnancy, it seemed that the other party had complete knowledge, making the threats in this phone call all the more apparent.
Zhang Liumin from Zhengzhou, Henan, and Fang Shuo from Jiangsu had similar experiences. According to evidence provided by the individuals, they both received threatening calls before preparing to protest in Washington, with Zhang Liumin even being threatened regarding the safety of her child. Concerned for their families, both individuals decided not to go, hoping the matter would settle, yet they continued to face harassment, being asked to leave the alliance and sever ties with Jielijian, or face the consequences.
The persistent threats prompted these individuals to publicly disclose their experiences. Zhang Liumin stated that facing threats to her family and herself, she would not withdraw from the alliance or cease participating in human rights activities, but rather make the situation known to seek legal accountability.
Jielijian mentioned that the harassment extends beyond family members within China. The alliance’s network administrator in Malaysia, Yang Jia, has been followed and intimidated, currently afraid to return to her residence. Some party members in Thailand also face security threats and fear being deported back to China.
Participant Li Zhongping at the October 18 rally expressed that choosing to protest in the densely Chinese-populated Flushing was to increase awareness of the Chinese Communist Party’s transnational suppression and the entanglement with family members. He emphasized that even in the United States, relevant threats cannot be ignored and urged the US government to strengthen investigation into illegal activities undertaken by agents of the CCP in America, safeguarding threatened individuals.
In recent years, the US government has been intensifying efforts to combat foreign governments surveilling, intimidating, and harassing dissidents on American soil.
FBI Director Kash Patel, in an interview with Epoch Times English program “American Thought Leaders” in August, mentioned that the agency had dismantled multiple criminal networks engaged in transnational suppression in the US. These networks were not only active in public spaces but also utilized the internet and social media for infiltration, monitoring, and harassment. The FBI is currently tracking the relevant individuals and their behind-the-scenes connections.
Patel emphasized that combating transnational suppression cannot solely rely on arresting individuals directly involved in crimes, but requires cross-departmental cooperation and leveraging measures like financial sanctions to hold individuals accountable.
US Attorney General Todd Blanche, in an interview with “American Thought Leaders” in October, echoed that combatting CCP’s transnational suppression is a major priority for the Justice Department. In response to Beijing’s intimidation, harassment, or attacks on dissenters in the US, the Justice Department will continue investigations and bring criminal charges in accordance with the law.
Current US countermeasures comprise criminal investigations and prosecutions, visa restrictions, as well as imposing financial sanctions and freezing assets of individuals meeting sanction criteria. This means that those involved in transnational suppression may not only face criminal liability but also restrictions on entering the US and related assets.
Enforcement actions in the US have yielded concrete results. The FBI had previously uncovered a secret police station in Manhattan’s Chinatown operating on behalf of the Chinese Public Security Bureau. In May of this year, involved Lu Jianwang was convicted by a federal jury for illegally acting as a Chinese government agent and obstructing justice, with co-defendant Chen Jinping having pleaded guilty earlier.
In cases related to the CCP’s “Operation Fox Hunt,” Zhu Yong and Zheng Congying were sentenced to 24 and 16 months in prison in 2025, respectively, for participating in tracking, intimidation, and forced repatriation actions against US residents. Retired NYPD officer Michael McMahon, involved in investigating and monitoring victims in the same case, was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
These cases illustrate that even if not Chinese government officials, those participating in illegal surveillance, intimidation, or harassment in the US can similarly face criminal charges.
Jielijian stated that the alliance is collecting evidence such as names of the individuals involved, recordings, and images to submit to the US government, Congress, and international human rights organizations, hoping to hold individuals accountable under laws like the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.
He urged individuals facing transnational suppression to bravely report and preserve evidence, not choosing silence due to threats. He believed that yielding might not ensure family safety, and only by making facts public and seeking legal accountability can pressure be put on perpetrators and prevent further harm.