Xi's Police State—in the U.S.
Newsweek US|December 23, 2022
TO CHOKE DISSENT, CHINA IS RAMPING UP SURVEILLANCE AND HARASSMENT ON AMERICAN SOIL, A NEWSWEEK INVESTIGATION REVEALS
DIDI KIRSTEN TATLOW
Xi's Police State—in the U.S.

A CHINESE MAN STRIKES AT A BANNER saying "Chinese Communist Party Step Down!" in New York City. He is challenged briefly, then disappears in the crowd at a Columbia University protest against China's "Zero COVID" policy. Another man pummels a female student after she shouts that Chinese authorities must be held accountable for the deaths of 10 people in a fire in an apartment complex under lockdown in Urumqi, sparking a rare wave of demonstrations in China. In Berkeley, California, a suspected Communist Party supporter sets ablaze a memorial placed by protesters mourning the dead in Urumqi.

In Flushing, Queens, home to a flourishing Chinese community in the U.S., a lawyer who fled corruption in China holds a sign on a street calling for the end of the party. But the party is watching, his family in China are promptly harassed by the police and he begs friends who posted the image on American social media to remove it.

As the totalitarian state tries to suppress the biggest protests to roil China since the 1989 Tiananmen Square democracy movement, Beijing's long arm is also trying to choke shows of sympathy in America and silence voices in the U.S. opposing the Communist Party and its leader, Xi Jinping, democracy activists and protesters say.

The push-back to the protests is one facet of an apparatus that Beijing has been building for years inside the United States to spread its influence and enforce its will in what has become an increasing source of fear for U.S.-based opponents of the Chinese Communist Party many U.S. citizens among them who spoke to Newsweek of confirmed instances and constant anxiety over surveillance, intimidation, attempts to force repatriation and even physical attacks.

Recent cases brought by U.S. law enforcement authorities have highlighted the brazenness of some of the suspected clandestine efforts to intimidate critics of China or force Beijing's enemies to return home.

This story is from the December 23, 2022 edition of Newsweek US.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the December 23, 2022 edition of Newsweek US.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM NEWSWEEK USView All
Ramy Youssef
Newsweek US

Ramy Youssef

DESCRIBING RAMY YOUSSEF'S WORK ISN'T EASY, BECAUSE HE REFUSES TO settle on just one thing. \"I feel really inspired to connect in the way that it makes sense.\"

time-read
2 mins  |
March 29 - April 05, 2024 (Double Issue)
Tobias Menzies
Newsweek US

Tobias Menzies

HOW MUCH DO WE REALLY KNOW ABOUT THE assassination of President Abraham Lincoln? That's a question Tobias Menzies hopes to answer in Apple TV+'s Manhunt (March 15).

time-read
1 min  |
March 29 - April 05, 2024 (Double Issue)
The Fall and Rise of Katt Williams
Newsweek US

The Fall and Rise of Katt Williams

He's had a string of run-ins with the law, yet the comedian's popularity continues to grow-with a recent podcast appearance blowing up the internet

time-read
6 mins  |
March 29 - April 05, 2024 (Double Issue)
AMERICA'S Greatest Workplaces for JOB STARTERS 2024
Newsweek US

AMERICA'S Greatest Workplaces for JOB STARTERS 2024

Getting a career started is never easy. First-day stumbling blocks can give way to larger questions about choosing the right career path. Imposter syndrome, information overload, the challenge of new colleagues: it's almost enough to make you miss the routine of sending out endless résumés to online job descriptions.

time-read
3 mins  |
March 29 - April 05, 2024 (Double Issue)
THE INCONCEIVABLE SEARCH FOR SPERM
Newsweek US

THE INCONCEIVABLE SEARCH FOR SPERM

Making MOTHERHOOD a reality in the face of virtually every cultural taboo

time-read
10+ mins  |
March 29 - April 05, 2024 (Double Issue)
I'm Suing Harvard Over Rife Antisemitism
Newsweek US

I'm Suing Harvard Over Rife Antisemitism

I applied to the university's Divinity School to be an ambassador for Orthodox Jews and build bridges with other cultures; instead I'm battling discrimination

time-read
4 mins  |
March 29 - April 05, 2024 (Double Issue)
Gen Z's Pockets Full of Cash
Newsweek US

Gen Z's Pockets Full of Cash

Digital wallets and bank cards might appear to be the modern way to pay, but physical money is making a comeback among young adults

time-read
4 mins  |
March 29 - April 05, 2024 (Double Issue)
Biden's Age Problem Tears Democrats Apart
Newsweek US

Biden's Age Problem Tears Democrats Apart

After being depicted as an 'elderly man with a poor memory,' questions surrounding the president's advanced years are dividing his party

time-read
6 mins  |
March 29 - April 05, 2024 (Double Issue)
Country Has Won Our Achy Breaky Hearts
Newsweek US

Country Has Won Our Achy Breaky Hearts

The genre has never been so popular-and with the likes of Beyoncé reminding fans of its roots, its mainstream appeal looks set to grow and grow

time-read
6 mins  |
March 22, 2024
'Deadly Risk' of Fat-Loss Drugs
Newsweek US

'Deadly Risk' of Fat-Loss Drugs

Diabetes treatment Ozempic has become popular among dieters due to its weightloss side effect, but a study warns of a link between the drug and suicidal thoughts

time-read
5 mins  |
March 22, 2024