The transnational repression practices of Communist China are expanding, with the CCP attempting to monitor and exert pressure on critics and overseas Chinese communities by extending Beijing’s control methods, such as censorship, intimidation, and surveillance, to foreign countries including the United States.
In late August, two former editors of Hong Kong’s “Stand News,” Chung Pui-Kuen and Lam Siu-Tung, were convicted of “conspiring to publish seditious publications,” violating Hong Kong’s “Incitement to Insurrection Law.” This marked the first time since the 1997 transfer of sovereignty to China that media personnel have been convicted of “incitement offenses,” raising serious concerns about the future freedom of speech and press in Hong Kong. This verdict indicates that the CCP is intensifying its efforts to suppress dissidents outside mainland China.
The scope of the CCP’s repression extends far beyond China’s borders, as evidenced by the conviction of 75-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen Wang Shujun for acting as an agent of the CCP in the United States, charged with monitoring Chinese dissidents. This case demonstrates the CCP’s transnational repression tactics.
The CCP’s transnational repression has evolved into a global strategy aimed at suppressing dissent, controlling overseas Chinese, and expanding its authoritarian influence. While the CCP regime has long employed censorship, surveillance, and crackdowns on opposition within the country, these tactics are increasingly being implemented abroad, affecting individuals and communities in democratic nations.
According to Freedom House, the CCP’s cross-border repression tactics include assassination, extradition, illegal deportation, kidnapping, physical attacks, spyware, intimidation of families, digital authoritarianism, abuse of Interpol, and restriction of freedom of movement. These strategies underscore the wide-ranging repression by the CCP, seeking to suppress dissent globally and undermine democratic freedoms in other countries.
In April 2023, 40 Chinese Ministry of Public Security police officers were indicted for engaging in transnational repression against Chinese dissidents residing in the United States. These officers were accused of using fake social media accounts to harass and intimidate dissidents calling for democracy in China. Additionally, they were charged with collaborating with an employee of a U.S. telecommunications company to suppress freedom of expression by blocking dissidents’ accounts. This case highlights the extent of the CCP’s control of narratives globally, even in democratic countries.
Most perpetrators involved in the 2023 transnational repression actions were from the Ministry of Public Security of the CCP, which, along with the National Security Ministry, the People’s Armed Police, the military, and the militia, collectively manage domestic security in China. These armed forces are responsible for handling internal threats such as protests and terrorism, with the Ministry of Public Security taking the lead in law enforcement, maintaining public order, anti-riot, and counter-terrorism efforts. Additionally, two officials from the CCP’s Cyberspace Administration were also indicted in the United States. The Cyberspace Administration is known for its extensive control over online content. The involvement of these officials highlights the CCP’s strategy of imposing broad control over the Chinese immigrant community and their places of residence, indicating that the CCP believes these communities are still under its jurisdiction even overseas.
Many recent cases of transnational repression can be traced back to the CCP’s “Operation Fox Hunt” launched in 2014, and the subsequent implementation of the “Sky Net Operation” in 2015.
Although these actions are part of CCP leader Xi Jinping’s global “anti-corruption” campaign, they are primarily used to target political opponents and individuals who are unwelcome by the CCP.
These actions often involve illegal means, infringing on international sovereignty and human rights through harassment, surveillance, pressure on family members, and in some cases, even kidnapping. So far, the human rights organization Safeguard Defenders has documented 283 cases of extrajudicial renditions from at least 56 countries and two regions (Hong Kong and Macau), highlighting Beijing’s aggressive transnational repression activities.
The CCP’s repression is not limited to covert operations. During Xi Jinping’s visit to San Francisco in 2023 to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, violent clashes occurred between pro-CCP groups and anti-CCP protesters. Pro-CCP groups were provided free food and accommodation by the Chinese Consulate General, and sponsoring these groups is part of extensive efforts by the CCP to control overseas public opinion, particularly among overseas Chinese communities. The CCP often targets dissenters in the United States and other countries directly or indirectly, usually in cooperation with organizations such as the United Front Work Department, whose mission is to influence foreign governments, engage overseas Chinese communities, and advance Beijing’s political objectives abroad. This reflects the CCP’s global strategy of using soft power, intimidation, and coercion to suppress critics and dissenters.
As the CCP expands its global influence, the line between civilians and state actors is increasingly blurred. Overseas community groups associated with the CCP play a vital role in promoting Beijing’s agenda, establishing a global network of influence from Chinese embassies to local communities. These networks are often coordinated by the United Front Work Department, playing a crucial role in propagating CCP narratives and suppressing overseas dissidents. As Beijing continues to refine its control and influence tactics, the scope of its repression strategies may expand, further undermining global democratic values and freedoms.
Dr. Antonio Graceffo is a Chinese economic analyst who has worked and lived in Asia for over 20 years. He graduated from the Shanghai Institute of Physical Education with a master’s degree in business administration from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and currently researches defense issues at the American Military University. He is the author of the book “Beyond the Belt and Road: China’s Global Economic Expansion” published in 2019.