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Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
How China Silences Critics From Afar
United Kingdom-based human rights group Article 19 has released a report on the Chinese government's relentless campaigns to silence dissenting voices beyond China's borders. The report, based on existing research and on recent interviews with 29 members of diaspora communities, details "the myriad tactics and actors involved in China's ongoing transnational repression of protesters around the world." Hong Kongers, Tibetans and others who have fled China out of fear of political persecution have reported being targeted by a sophisticated network said to include Beijing's United Front Work Department, embassy personnel and online influencers. Outspoken opponents of China's human rights record, in particular, have been in the crosshairs, amid Chinese Communist Party (CCP) efforts to stamp out or delegitimize international protest movements, observers say. Newsweek reached out to the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with emailed requests for comment. Transnational repression can take the form of digital threats, abduction, forced repatriation and even assassination Article 19 said in its report, released on June 4, the anniversary of China's bloody 1989 crackdown on protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. While such tactics are also employed by governments like Russia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, Beijing is "by far the most prolific perpetrator," the group said, citing Freedom House estimates that millions of Chinese nationals have been targeted in at least 36 countries. "From public acts of physical violence to online intimidation, the targeting of family members-especially against high-profile protest leaders-has a knock-on effect on human rights movements," the report said. In some cases, authorities have gone after the families of prominent dissidents deemed problematic. A recent example of this cited by rights groups centers on Anna Kwok, a U.S.-based activist wanted by the Hong Kong government. In late April, her father and brother were arrested on suspicion of violating the city's National Security Law-a sweeping measure imposed by Beijing following the 2019 pro-democracy protests. "The Chinese government has increased its appalling use of collective punishment against family members of peaceful activists from Hong Kong," Yalkun Uluyol, China researcher at Human Rights Watch, said in May. Michael Caster, head of Article 19's Global China Programme, said in the press release for the report: "The CCP employs its tactics to intimidate people from participating in protests, weakening global support and solidarity for human rights in China and around the world. Transnational repression silences dissent and chills freedom of expression." Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in the U.S., told the Washington Post in April: "China firmly opposes the politicization, instrumentalization, or weaponization of human rights issues, as well as foreign interference under the pretext of human rights." With China expected to continue seeking to silence overseas dissidents, Article 19 urged governments to build up their response capacity for suspected cases of transnational repression and improve public awareness. The group also urged tech companies-some accused of complying with Chinese censorship demands-to be more transparent about these communications and to improve digital security and technical support for those targeted. Related Articles Welcome to the Age of Dumb Kissinger | OpinionChina Reacts to Trump's Steel Tariffs HikeNuclear Arms Race Warning as Warheads IncreaseThe 1600: Now Boarding the USS Idiocracy 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
How China Silences Critics From Afar
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. United Kingdom-based human rights group Article 19 has released a report on the Chinese government's relentless campaigns to silence dissenting voices beyond China's borders. The report, based on existing research and on recent interviews with 29 members of diaspora communities, details "the myriad tactics and actors involved in China's ongoing transnational repression of protesters around the world." Why It Matters Hong Kongers, Tibetans and others who have fled China out of fear of political persecution have reported being targeted by a sophisticated network said to include Beijing's United Front Work Department, embassy personnel and online influencers. Outspoken opponents of China's human rights record, in particular, have been in the crosshairs, amid Chinese Communist Party (CCP) efforts to stamp out or delegitimize international protest movements, observers say. Newsweek reached out to the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C., and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with emailed requests for comment. An attendee holds an electric candle on Liberty Square in Taipei, Taiwan, on June 4, 2025, during a vigil marking the 36th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing. An attendee holds an electric candle on Liberty Square in Taipei, Taiwan, on June 4, 2025, during a vigil marking the 36th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing. Annabelle Chih/Associated Press What To Know Transnational repression can take the form of digital threats, abduction, forced repatriation and even assassination Article 19 said in its report, released on June 4, the anniversary of China's bloody 1989 crackdown on protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. While such tactics are also employed by governments like Russia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, Beijing is "by far the most prolific perpetrator," the group said, citing Freedom House estimates that millions of Chinese nationals have been targeted in at least 36 countries. "From public acts of physical violence to online intimidation, the targeting of family members—especially against high-profile protest leaders—has a knock-on effect on human rights movements," the report said. In some cases, authorities have gone after the families of prominent dissidents deemed problematic. A recent example of this cited by rights groups centers on Anna Kwok, a U.S.-based activist wanted by the Hong Kong government. In late April, her father and brother were arrested on suspicion of violating the city's National Security Law—a sweeping measure imposed by Beijing following the 2019 pro-democracy protests. "The Chinese government has increased its appalling use of collective punishment against family members of peaceful activists from Hong Kong," Yalkun Uluyol, China researcher at Human Rights Watch, said in May. What People Are Saying Michael Caster, head of Article 19's Global China Programme, said in the press release for the report: "The CCP employs its tactics to intimidate people from participating in protests, weakening global support and solidarity for human rights in China and around the world. Transnational repression silences dissent and chills freedom of expression." Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in the U.S., told the Washington Post in April: "China firmly opposes the politicization, instrumentalization, or weaponization of human rights issues, as well as foreign interference under the pretext of human rights." Article 19's Recommendations With China expected to continue seeking to silence overseas dissidents, Article 19 urged governments to build up their response capacity for suspected cases of transnational repression and improve public awareness. The group also urged tech companies—some accused of complying with Chinese censorship demands—to be more transparent about these communications and to improve digital security and technical support for those targeted.
Japan Times
28-05-2025
- General
- Japan Times
Is Beijing engineering election wins for 'soft on China' politicians?
When Xi Jinping became chairman of everything in China's governing structure, one of the first things he did was significantly increase the funding of the United Front Work Department — which handles the Chinese Communist Party's intelligence and influence operations. Xi elevated its status within the party's hierarchy and expanded its mandate for the first time to include foreign operations. The UFWD became one of the key coordinators of the CCP's efforts to influence foreign governments through the use of elite capture, misinformation, illegal political funding and foreign media control. It also leverages the Chinese diaspora to influence elections and policies around the world and to counter voices from Tibet, Hong Kong, the Uyghurs in Western China, Taiwan and any other groups critical of the CCP. Beijing legally requires all citizens to support Communist Party policies and views ethnic Chinese everywhere as instruments for advancing its global goals. To be clear, some ethnic Chinese abroad willingly cooperate, others are tricked into it and some comply out of fear, especially after threats or retaliation against their families in China. Yet some bravely refuse. There are multiple documented cases of Chinese authorities detaining or threatening mainland-based relatives to pressure those overseas into silence or cooperation. A key objective of what Xi called the "magic weapon" is to support those politicians and political parties that take positions favorable to China. In recent national elections, parties seen as softer on China have won or gained ground in Taiwan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and most recently the Philippines. Is this a coincidence, a backlash against U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs or the result of effective work by the UFWD? Let's examine the documented cases of election interference in the above democracies that go beyond what UFWD does elsewhere. In Taiwan, investigations by several external researchers, including one from Japan's Nakasone Peace Institute, confirmed that China intervened to influence the January 2024 presidential and legislative elections. Through UFWD operations, China deployed a cross-platform disinformation campaign known as "spamouflage" to discredit then–Democratic Progressive Party President Tsai Ing-wen and presidential candidate Lai Ching-te. It also conducted "hack and leak" operations, in which illegally obtained data was released to the public. These efforts focused on alleged breaches of public trust and exposing compromising information about high-value targets. The approach mirrored Russia's favored "kompromat"-style tactics, which involve leaking images and other damaging material to undermine politicians and leaders. Although Lai won the presidency, his ability to govern was significantly limited after the pro-China Kuomintang secured a majority in the Legislative Yuan, Taiwan's national assembly. The KMT has moved to reduce Taiwan's defense budget despite rising Chinese aggression and has echoed Chinese Communist Party claims that portray Lai as a threat to peace. In South Korea, the extent of China's interference in the April 2024 National Assembly election remains unconfirmed, but the opposition Democratic Party won nearly two-thirds of the seats. Post election, the DP-controlled National Assembly and the National Election Commission (NEC), which oversees elections, have rejected all calls for an independent investigation. Nevertheless, disturbing revelations have since surfaced. South Korea's Board of Audit and Inspection confirmed widespread illegal hiring practices at the NEC going back to 2013. Two of its senior leaders resigned and 27 officials were charged with corruption, nepotism and abuse of power. The audit also recorded statements from NEC staff admitting: 'There have been Chinese people among the counting staff, but we don't know how many worked as counting staff nationwide.' The commission responded by proposing a law making any criticism of the legality of South Korean elections a criminal offense. They also brought a case to the Constitutional Court to block the audit and the court ruled in February that the audit was "unconstitutional." Odd, you might think, until one realizes that the chairman of the NEC is a sitting Supreme Court judge. Both High Court and district judges frequently lead NEC's regional and district branches. Four of the current eight Constitutional Court judges have previously chaired the NEC. So interlocking conflicts of interest between the commission and the judiciary are preventing full disclosure of the extent of Chinese election interference in South Korea. Their claims of zero interference are not credible. The June 3 presidential election is fast approaching and some fear the UFWD will pull out all the stops to see the pro-CCP Lee Jae-myung take over the Blue House. In the U.K., even before the July 2024 election, both parties were raising serious concerns over Chinese and Russian interference. China was implicated in a cyberattack that captured the personal data on millions of registered British voters. Using Chinese language social media is a favored way for the UFWD to reach the Chinese diaspora and spread disinformation to attack politicians critical of China. Ethnic Chinese comprise less than 1% of the U.K. population, or approximately 500,000. In Canada, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service confirmed in 2024 that China had directly interfered in the previous two national elections in 2019 and 2021 to favor pro-China candidates and to discredit those candidates seen as critical. As with the U.K., the UFWD's favored way to reach the Chinese diaspora is through Chinese language social media and this approach remained the preferred method in the April 2025 election. Ethnic Chinese comprise 4.7% of the Canadian population, or approximately 1.7 million people. As for Australia, in this month's election, the Australia Hubei Association, a Chinese diaspora group with known links to UFWD, dispatched volunteers to assist various candidates, including independents perceived to be more pro-China. Ethnic Chinese comprise 5.5% of the Australian population, or approximately 1.4 million individuals. And in the Philippines, just before the midterm elections nearly two weeks ago, lawmakers filed multiple reports accusing China of interfering in the vote and trying to destabilize the country's democracy. The National Security Council told the Senate that the Chinese Embassy in Manila, working with a local public relations firm, ran a covert troll farm operation to manipulate Philippine institutions and sway public opinion. The NSC also accused China of using local proxies and fake online personas to spread pro-CCP messaging, attack U.S.-Japan-Philippine joint defense drills, discredit specific elected officials and sway public opinion toward pro-China candidates. The results were striking: The pro-China camp, led by former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently awaiting trial at The Hague, won five of the 12 open Senate seats. That could prove critical for his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte, whose impeachment trial is set to begin in the Senate in July. Removing her from office and disqualifying her from running for president in the next election would require a two-thirds majority of the 24 senators to confirm her impeachment. But if just nine vote to acquit, she will stay in office. Before the election, public sentiment was largely against her due to threats made against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and allegations of misusing public funds. Now, however, the outcome is uncertain. Ethnic Chinese make up roughly 1.2% of the population, or about 1.4 million people. Japan has a national election coming up in July, but the risk of direct election interference is different from the cases above. Unlike those countries, Japan does not have a large Chinese diaspora with voting rights. What Japan does share with other democracies is that it is also targeted by the CCP's disinformation and influence operations, which focus on elites such as politicians, government officials, media, educators, research institutes and others who will support China's policies. Xi has the UFWD, his 'magic weapon' aimed at undermining global democracies, including here at home. Edo Naito is a commentator on Japanese politics, law and history. He is a retired international business attorney and has held board of director and executive positions at several U.S. and Japanese multinational companies.
Reuters
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Inside the U.S. battle with China over an island paradise deep in the Pacific
PALAU, Western Pacific - The brilliant blue waters, thick foliage and bucolic atmosphere on this seemingly idyllic archipelago deep in the Pacific Ocean belie the key role it now plays in a titanic geopolitical struggle. Palau, where brutal World War Two clashes once unfolded, is again on the frontline as China and the United States and its allies prepare their forces in an intensifying contest for control over the Asia-Pacific region. The democratic island nation of just 17,000 people hosts American-controlled airstrips and soon-to-be-completed radar installations that the U.S. military describes as 'critical' to monitoring vast swathes of water and airspace. It is also a key piece of the Second Island Chain, a string of strategically located islets that America is fortifying in an effort to deny China access to the Western Pacific. Now, that outsized strategic value has made Palau the target of a concerted influence campaign by individuals with ties to the Chinese government, according to intelligence reports, police files, court records and land filings reviewed by Reuters, as well as interviews with more than 20 diplomats and local law enforcement officials. At the same time, the once-sleepy island nation has been transformed into a hub of illegal activity, rife with drug smuggling, online gambling operations, money laundering and prostitution allegedly linked to Chinese individuals and syndicates. This activity has brought with it a gruesome killing – including the transporting of a corpse in a suitcase – and a well-orchestrated kidnapping whose target is believed to be in a Chinese prison after having been forcibly smuggled out of Palau by boat. Some of these Chinese individuals have cultivated close ties to senior political figures on Palau, making 'donations' to some of them, according to two intelligence reports distributed to Palauan officials by the local U.S. embassy. These individuals have also allegedly facilitated meetings between Chinese officials and Palauan politicians. In one instance, a Chinese official associated with the United Front Work Department, the body that oversees Beijing's foreign influence activities, met with Palau's current vice president, according to one of the U.S. intelligence reports. The vice president, Raynold Oilouch, didn't respond to questions about the alleged meeting. An effort also appears to be underway to block the expansion of U.S. military installations on Palau, which include radar stations and airstrips built to service military aircraft. A review of land records by Reuters reveals that Chinese businesspeople and Chinese-linked businesses have leased land overlooking or adjacent to some of these American military facilities. Joel Ehrendreich, the U.S. ambassador to Palau, says China is using the same tactics in Palau that it has deployed elsewhere in the Pacific. Sitting in an office packed with baseball memorabilia and Palauan carvings of dugongs, a chubby sea mammal, he warns that Beijing is using organized crime to infiltrate Palau, buy the backing of political leaders and establish a foothold on the island. It's illegal for foreigners to make political donations, but the only evidence my office has received is via anonymous sources... Everyone knows foreigners give money, but without evidence our hands are tied. 'We've seen the playbook over and over again throughout the region, and it's been very effective,' Ehrendreich said in an interview. 'Get in with predatory investment, corrupt officials through elite capture, and try to destabilize the society through drug and human trafficking and other crime. And it's easy to do when you go one by one through these little countries that you can overwhelm.' Claims that China is undermining Palau's stability or interfering in its elections 'are far-fetched, slanderous, and completely fabricated nonsense,' a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry said in response to questions from Reuters. 'Who is building military bases in Palau? Who wants to turn Palau into a strategic military outpost?' the spokesperson added. 'We urge the U.S. side to stop smearing and slandering China … and stop provoking trouble in the region.' The island, which is geographically closer to China than any other Pacific Island nation, is also one of the few countries that still formally recognize Taiwan. China has spent decades successfully persuading countries not to recognize democratically governed Taiwan, which Beijing views as part of China. Asked about Palau's relationship with Taipei, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson urged countries that 'still maintain so-called 'diplomatic relations' with the Taiwan region not to be blindly arrogant and stubborn.' Surangel Whipps Jr., Palau's president, didn't respond to questions for this story. Speaking at a think tank in Sydney earlier this month, he addressed the issue of crime on the island: 'Drugs, human trafficking, all of these kinds of activities have a way of undermining the political structure,' he said. 'Online scamming or gaming that happens, they end up influencing politicians and things that go on in Palau.' A tangled web of Chinese influence efforts and illicit activity emerges from the U.S. intelligence reports and other documents reviewed by Reuters, and from interviews with local law enforcement officials. Take Hokkons Baules, the president of the Palauan Senate, who has been one of the island's most vociferous advocates for China. Under his leadership, the senate has passed resolutions criticizing U.S. military activity in Palau, while he has personally advocated for expanded ties with China. 'We want to go with China, because we need a lot of help with infrastructure,' Baules told Reuters. He added that Palau should drop its recognition of Taiwan. At the same time, Baules has allegedly built relationships with Chinese investors, including a man named Sun Maojin, who runs a technology company that lists state-controlled research centers and universities in China as partners on its website. In November 2023, Sun flew to the island with several associates and $119,000 in cash, according to flight records, photos reviewed by Reuters, and three Palauan law enforcement officials. When Sun was questioned by customs officials for failing to disclose the money, Baules called one customs officer to ask for his release, according to the officials. 'These guys are my friends,' Baules allegedly said, and added that they were in Palau to lease land. The officials said Sun was released after paying a fine. Palau's Land Court has no records of a transaction between Baules and Sun. Baules said he doesn't recall the incident. Sun didn't respond to questions sent to his company. Baules pleaded guilty to heroin trafficking in 1989. Corporate records reviewed by Reuters show that his family operates a local business called Fuji Restaurant, which Palauan authorities have linked to Chinese criminal activity. The family rented out space in the building between 2018 and 2020 to Chinese brothels masquerading as massage parlors, according to legal filings related to another case that were submitted by Palau's anti-corruption office. None of the Baules family face charges in that case. Baules insisted that the brothels were massage parlors. 'It's not my business, it's their business,' he said of the Chinese businesspeople his family rented space to. The address of Fuji Restaurant was also on a package of methamphetamine that was intercepted at Manila airport last year, according to local press reports in the Philippines. The reports stated that the intended recipient was a Chinese man in Palau. Based on an estimate from Palauan law enforcement officials, the stash had a street value of at least $83,000. No charges were filed in the case. Baules dismissed the allegations, telling Reuters he was the target of a smear campaign aimed at ruining his name. The senate leader also has ties to prominent Chinese figures on the island, including Hunter Tian, the president of Palau's Overseas Chinese Association, which promotes the interests of Chinese residents on the island. Baules has leased land to Tian for a hotel Tian runs, land court records show. In 2023, Tian participated in training courses in Beijing and Nanjing that were organized by the Chinese government for overseas Chinese leaders, according to promotional material from three pro-Beijing Chinese diaspora groups. The course in Beijing was run by a group under the authority of the United Front Work Department, the body that oversees China's foreign influence efforts, according to the material. The course in Nanjing was attended by United Front officials. Tian didn't reply to questions sent to a lawyer who has done legal work for him. Baules described Tian as 'a good guy.' The authorities 'have not filed any case against him,' Baules said. The U.S. intelligence reports, one from last September and the other from November, also assert that Chinese businesspeople gave tens of thousands of dollars in cash to politicians ahead of elections last year in Palau. According to one of the reports, Wang Yubin, a Chinese citizen who is secretary of Palau's Overseas Chinese Association, agreed to donate $20,000 to Thomas Remengesau Jr, a former president seeking another term, and donated $10,000 to Oilouch, who was running to be vice president. Remengesau lost his race. Oilouch won and is now Palau's vice president. Wang didn't respond to questions for this story. Many Palauans rely on the surrounding sea for food and for pleasure. Now, many worry that their strategic position in the Pacific Ocean has made them a target. REUTERS/Hollie Adams Palau's economy is heavily reliant on tourists, the bulk of whom come from Asian nations. REUTERS/Hollie Adams Hundreds of Palauans serve in the U.S. military, which has left a patriotic imprint on many residents. Here, a local in a U.S. Army hat watches customers at a popular bakery. REUTERS/Hollie Adams Even as criminal activity intensifies, Palau often maintains an idyllic atmosphere, with many residents taking advantage of its beaches and warm waters. REUTERS/Hollie Adams The intelligence reports describe the donations as 'illegal' or 'illicit' campaign funding. Tamara Hutzler, the country's anti-corruption prosecutor, said political donations by foreign nationals are illegal in Palau. 'The only evidence my office has received is via anonymous sources,' she said. 'Everyone knows foreigners give money, but without evidence our hands are tied.' 'The corruption is just pervasive,' added Hutzler. It is tough to combat, she said, in part because law enforcement lacked resources. Oilouch told Reuters he had 'never received a penny' from a foreigner for his political campaigns. As an attorney, he said, he had represented foreign clients, but as vice-president he was 'actively removing' himself from all cases. Remengesau said accusations he had received donations from Chinese businesspeople were 'ridiculous.' People in Palau, he said, 'know that I don't mix government with business.' The family of at least one top politician has benefited from American investment in Palau. A company registered under the name of the father of Surangel Whipps Jr., Palau's president, has been awarded at least 41 Department of Defense contracts worth approximately $6 million, largely related to construction services, according to a Reuters review of a federal database. This makes the company one of the largest commercial Palauan beneficiaries of U.S. contracts. Remengesau, who is Whipps' brother-in-law and ran against him for the presidency last year, said 'conflict of interest' situations should be avoided. Whipps didn't respond to questions about the contracts. Ehrendreich, the U.S. ambassador, said that 'given the small size of Palau and the significant role of the Whipps family's businesses in this country, contracting and procurement with them is inevitable.' Ann Singeo, Palau's most prominent environmentalist: 'You just feel like they're using you as a war shield.' REUTERS/Hollie Adams AMERICAN INFLUENCE Palau feels as if it has been transplanted from the United States, which administered the country's 300 or so islets for half a century after capturing them from Japan in World War Two. The former colony won independence in 1994, but remains deeply tied to and dependent on the U.S. Many locals speak with an American accent after having spent years working in the U.S. – or the 'mainland,' as many Palauans refer to it. Palauans can work without a visa in the U.S. due to a treaty called the Compact of Free Association. Similar agreements bind the island states of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands to the U.S. Together, the compacts give Washington responsibility for defending these territories and funding large parts of their governments. In exchange, the U.S. gets exclusive military access to vast swathes of the Pacific. The connections to America are particularly resonant on Palau's southern islands of Peleliu and Angaur. The two isles were sites of bloody World War Two battles in which more than 12,000 U.S. soldiers were killed or wounded while trying to displace Japanese troops. Scattered through the jungle, the blackened and rusted remnants of Japanese tanks and fortifications can still be seen today. Many of the 100 or so residents of Angaur have relatives serving in the American military. U.S. law permits citizens of Palau and two other former colonies in the Pacific to enlist like Americans. In a nod to that relationship, residents have nicknamed their island 'the United States of Angaur.' Japanese fortifications and weapons like this tank speckle the islands: a legacy of the vicious clashes that consumed Palau during World War Two as Japan and the United States fought for control of the Pacific. REUTERS/Hollie Adams The American flag flies at the U.S. embassy. Despite its status as an independent country, Palau remains deeply tied to and dependent on the United States. REUTERS/Hollie Adams In 2017, the U.S. military announced plans to build radar facilities in Angaur and other Palauan islands. Later, it began redeveloping multiple airstrips. The facilities will allow the U.S. to disperse its forces in anticipation of a strike by China on American strategic hubs like Guam, and to monitor air traffic in the region without tying up ships or aircraft to do so. Soon, Angaur began attracting attention from Chinese entities. Multiple media outlets reported that in 2019, Wan Kuok Koi, a former leader of the powerful Chinese triad called 14K, visited Palau with the goal of leasing land on Angaur and opening a casino there. Foreign nationals cannot purchase land in Palau, but they can lease it for decades-long periods. In 2020, the U.S. Treasury identified Wan, known as Broken Tooth, as a leader of the triad and sanctioned him for leading an entity engaged in 'corruption.' The sanctions notice alleged that he was a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a largely ceremonial advisory body of China's parliament. A photo published in local media shows Broken Tooth meeting with Remengesau, who was president of Palau at the time. Remengesau said he wasn't aware of Broken Tooth's identity during their meeting. 'You don't know who these people are, but you have to be polite and give them the time of day,' he said. Broken Tooth's efforts were stymied when Palauan officials learned he was a triad leader, according to Remengesau. The former triad boss didn't respond to questions sent to a lawyer who has represented him in criminal cases. Erik Vereen is a state legislator and boat captain on Angaur, the site of a U.S. military development and focus of significant Chinese attention. 'We're afraid that we've painted a big bullseye on our island,' he said. REUTERS/Hollie Adams Angaur residents interviewed this month said no Chinese nationals have succeeded in acquiring land there. 'It would never happen,' said Erik Vereen, an Angaur legislator. 'There's no land to be leased.' Court records, however, show that Chinese individuals have leased large swathes of communally owned land on Angaur. Tian, the president of the Overseas Chinese Association, has acquired roughly 280,000 square meters of land on Angaur, including a large plot abutting the island's airstrip. The U.S. subsequently announced plans to develop a radar station next to the airstrip. Another set of land registry documents show that an investor named Zhuang Cizhong leased a further 380,000 square meters of land near the airstrip. Zhuang acquired the land after the U.S. announced its development plans. Together, Tian and Zhuang's holdings amount to about 8% of Angaur's landmass. Neither appears to have developed the land. When told about the leases, Angaur legislator Vereen said he felt 'a hundred percent betrayed.' Reuters was unable to contact Zhuang. Lease records and interviews with environmental regulators also reveal that a company connected to the Prince Group, a Chinese-Cambodian conglomerate, has acquired an islet near a new U.S. coastal monitoring station in the Palauan region of Kayangel. Lease records and a visit to the site by Reuters revealed that another company connected to the Prince Group is also developing a piece of land near Palau's airport, which the U.S. uses for military exercises. Corporate filings show that the local agent in Palau for one of these companies is Rose Wang. She is a former vice president of Palau's Overseas Chinese Association, according to one of the U.S. intelligence reports. In 2019, according to the association's social media, Wang was among prominent diaspora Chinese representatives to attend celebrations in Beijing's Great Hall of the People to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Wang and the Prince Group didn't respond to questions for this story. Some of the companies tied to the Prince Group in Palau were first flagged in a recent report by Pacific Economics, an American consultancy that has studied foreign investment in Palau. The U.S. military is building new facilities from the tip of Palau to its tail. On the islet of Peleliu (left), it has redeveloped an old World War Two airstrip. On the isle of Angaur, it is constructing a radar station. REUTERS/Hollie Adams Ehrendreich, the U.S. ambassador, said the leases were almost certainly strategic. 'All around there are various plots of land that are now being leased to Chinese interests,' he said of Angaur. 'I don't think it's any coincidence at all that it happens to be physically close to our projects.' The land-lease tactic, he said, was 'how they maybe are able to keep an eye on what we're trying to do here.' China's foreign ministry didn't respond to specific questions about the land leases. BODY IN A SUITCASE Since 2019, hundreds of foreign nationals from China and Southeast Asia have travelled to Palau to work in online gambling and scam centers. Despite regular busts by Palauan law enforcement, the centers have continued to thrive. At the same time, there has been a boom in methamphetamine trafficking and violent crime. Women finish their night at a bar on Koror's waterfront. REUTERS/Hollie Adams Late one evening in February 2023, a black Mazda pulled up in Koror, the main town, according to local media reports and a law enforcement official who described CCTV footage of the incident. Two men got out and seized a Chinese expatriate named Chen Liyan. They bundled Chen into their car and drove to a marina packed with private boats on the outskirts of town. They parked beside a fishing vessel, which later headed out to sea. Palau's government later learned that China had issued an arrest warrant for Chen, a local law enforcement official told Reuters. According to Chinese media reports, police accused Chen, a former Chinese village official, of overseeing organized criminal gangs. The reports said China had offered a bounty of roughly $68,000 for Chen. The official told Reuters that China had informed them Chen was now imprisoned in the Chinese province of Jiangxi. Chen's disappearance is still under investigation in Palau. His kidnapping is one of several recent incidents that have spooked locals. Leilani Reklai, the editor of Palau's main newspaper, is scared by the surge in Chinese crime. REUTERS/Hollie Adams In 2023, a Chinese man named Fang Ye disappeared from the American Pacific territory of Saipan, where prosecutors accused him of smuggling methamphetamine. Several months later, according to Palauan police files reviewed by Reuters, Fang surfaced in Palau, where he took an upstairs room at an apartment building in central Koror. There, Fang met Li Peng, a Chinese boat captain and longtime Palauan resident. A tenant of the room below later told police that she heard noises 'like a bowling ball rolling across the floor,' which continued for at least 40 minutes. In CCTV footage from that evening reviewed by Reuters, three men – whom investigators identified as Fang and two associates – can be seen carrying a suitcase to a car. The next day, at least two of the men drove into the Palauan wilderness with the suitcase. In 2023, a man wanted in Saipan for methamphetamine smuggling surfaced in Palau and met with a local Chinese boat captain in CK Mansion, shown here. The captain's corpse was later found half-burned in the Palauan wilderness. REUTERS/Hollie Adams CCTV footage shows three men carrying a large suitcase out of CK Mansion. The suitcase was later found with a dead body. Reuters verified the location and date of the footage. A local Palauan spotted the men and reported them to police – who later discovered the suitcase with boat captain Li's dead body, which had been set on fire. According to a written briefing prepared for Palau's president, which Reuters reviewed, the killing was motivated by a dispute over a drug smuggling route between Saipan and Guam. Related Content Palau, escaping Trump tariffs, says strong US good for Pacific Fang was arrested and accepted a plea deal in which he did not contest a manslaughter charge. He has since been extradited back to Saipan, where he pleaded guilty to methamphetamine trafficking. Reuters was unable to contact Fang or a legal representative. Palauan authorities have taken some steps in recent months to combat Chinese organized crime. In December, President Whipps empowered his national security advisor to scrutinize visa applications and renewals. The advisor subsequently barred at least 91 people from the country, according to a review of government lists of prohibited people. Surangel Whipps Jr., the country's president, told a Sydney thinktank this month that the surge in crime on Palau ends up "influencing politicians.' REUTERS/Jeremy Piper A Palau-Taiwan friendship plaque in front of the island nation's Capitol Building. Palau is one of a small number of countries that still formally recognize Taiwan. REUTERS/Hollie Adams 'Whether that organized crime is government-sanctioned or whether it's just those individuals, we need to work together to stop them,' Whipps said about the country's crime problem during his recent visit to Sydney. 'We do know China has one goal, and that is for us to renounce Taiwan. But we hope that they understand that that decision is a sovereign decision and no country tells us who we should be friends with.' Related Content T-DAY: The battle for Taiwan US Pacific commander to advocate 'most strongly' for USAID to Pacific Islands Ehrendreich lauded the Palau crackdown as evidence of 'a new level' of the island's willingness and ability 'to start dealing with their Chinese organized crime problem.' The crime boom, however, has spooked residents who wonder whether the latest measures will be effective. Some also worry about getting caught between the two superpowers. 'The U.S. military presence in Palau is a good thing,' said Vereen, the state legislator, who works as a boat operator at the radar facility on Angaur. But, he added, Palauans still remember from World War Two how they can be drawn into a ferocious conflict. 'We're afraid that we've painted a big bullseye on our island,' he said. Reuters traveled to Palau to see the reality of a contest for regional supremacy between the United States and China. REUTERS/Hollie Adams and Zachary Goelman Reporting by Pete McKenzie. Additional reporting by the Beijing newsroom. Photos and video by Hollie Adams. Video editing by Zachary Goelman, Francesca Lynagh, Holly Murtha and Mía Womersley. Photo editing by Edgar Su. Graphics by Jitesh Chowdhury and Vijdan Mohammad Kawoosa. Design by Catherine Tai. Edited by Peter Hirschberg. Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Suggested Topics: Investigates
ABC News
01-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Community group denies links to Beijing after roping in volunteers for election candidates
The head of a Chinese community group at the centre of a controversy surrounding Housing Minister Clare O'Neil and independent MP Monique Ryan has furiously denied that he is trying to help China's government influence the federal election, accusing the media of "slandering" him and intimidating Chinese Australians. The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has confirmed that it has asked the Electoral Integrity Assurance Taskforce to investigate allegations about the actions of the Hubei Association, which had been working to help organise volunteers for the election campaigns of both Minister O'Neil and Dr Ryan. Stay updated: Catch the latest interviews and in-depth coverage on Earlier this week, The Age reported that the Hubei Association, a group purportedly linked to the Chinese government's United Front Work Department, organised volunteers for Dr Ryan, with video footage appearing to show those volunteers saying they had been instructed by the organisation to vote for her. A day later, The Australian revealed the same association was also organising a group of 10 volunteers to help staff polling booths in Claire O'Neil's electorate — although the minister said she declined the offer of help. Claire O'Neil says she knocked back an offer of volunteers from the Hubei Association. ( AAP Image: Mick Tsikas ) The reports raised concerns as the Hubei Association has previously been linked to the Chinese government's sprawling United Front Work Department, which is tasked with advocating for Beijing's interests overseas. But the head of the Hubei Association, Ji Jianmin, in an extensive interview with the ABC, denied any links to Beijing and said neither he nor the organisation had any connection with the Chinese government. "Not a penny of funds (comes) from an overseas power. All the money (is) coming from people living in Australia but originally from Hubei. You can check," he said. "Australia is my home. I'm absolutely loyal to Australia." Ji Jianmin denies any links or associations with the Chinese government. ( ABC News: Darryl Torpy ) Mr Ji rejected all the allegations and told the ABC that he'd had "nearly zero" contact with the Chinese Embassy, other than attending two cultural events over the past seven years. "Personally, I don't care about politics … we just want to live a good life in Australia," he said. "Ninety-nine per cent of my time in the past 29 years, I was in Australia." Mr Ji said that he had nothing to hide and he'd cooperate with any inquiry. "I'll be open to investigations and interviews. I'm open in sharing facts and truths to all friends," he said. He said he only shared his view about Ms Ryan's effort to serve the Chinese community but did not pressure anyone to vote for her. He also said he supported Dr Ryan because she had organised lectures for elderly Chinese people in Melbourne to help them understand how superannuation and policing works in Australia. Mr Ji also told the ABC he never instructed the two volunteers shown in the video supporting Ms Ryan. Steven Mao (left) and Jessica Yuan (right) were shown on a video helping Monique Ryan's campaign. ( ABC News: Darryl Torpy ) The two volunteers, Jessica Yuan and Steven Mao, told the ABC they were neither members of Mr Ji's association nor originally from Hubei province. They said they supported Ms Ryan because of her good reputation in the Chinese community. "We've seen [what she did] and are willing to help her in re-election. People are all doing it voluntarily. No one was forced," Mr Ji told the ABC. On Wednesday, Ms O'Neil firmly denied that her office requested volunteers from Hubei Association. She said the offer had come through an intermediary that her office had "politely declined". That intermediary — ALP member and prominent Chinese Australian community member Chap Chow — also spoke with the ABC. Originally from Malaysia, Mr Chow has repeatedly organised volunteers for political campaigns. He described Ms O'Neil as a "friend" who he wanted to support. He also said that he had previously helped recruit a few dozen campaign volunteers for her from an association of elderly Chinese Australians earlier this year. Chap Chow said he wanted to to help Clare O'Neil. ( ABC News: Darryl Torpy ) Mr Chow partly contradicted Ms O'Neil's statement that her office made the decision to turn down the Hubei Association's offer of assistance on Tuesday. He said of the minister's staffers approached him earlier this month and requested another 10 volunteers to help maintain stalls on election day — although at this point there was no discussion of the Hubei Association. Mr Chow told the ABC he then reached out to Mr Ji for help because he was an old friend. "I asked him if there could be others to volunteer, at a coffee catch up with him and others, about three weeks ago," Mr Chow said. "He said, because we are friends … and I told him that we need to hurry up." Photo shows green how to vote cards in the background with a text box that says enter your suburb The full set of major party players' how-to-vote guides for the House of Representatives reveals some surprising alliances. Mr Chow also said he was the one who made the decision to withdraw the offer of volunteers after reading the report in The Age. He said he rang the minister's staffer, and they agreed the 10 volunteers shouldn't take part in her campaign. "It was completely my decision. Because I know Australian politics very well, I took the initiative to call them," Mr Chow said. "I think it shows the influence of the McCarthyism from the Cold War era. I've known Mr Ji for quite a long time, and I don't believe he has done anything inappropriate." The ABC has approached Ms O'Neil's office for comment. The 2025 election explained: A spokesperson for Dr Ryan told the Age earlier this week that she'd never met Mr Ji privately and that he'd "never lobbied her on any policy matters." "Any contact between Monique and Mr Ji has been incidental and limited to public events attended by large numbers of people," they said. Hubei Association is one of several dozen Chinese "hometown associations" in Australia that serve as networking hubs for people from various Chinese cities or provinces. Researchers Alex Joske and Clive Hamilton listed it as a "United Front-linked business group" in a 2018 submission to a parliamentary inquiry. But the submission also says that while "not all" the hometown organisations were part of the United Front, "the larger ones are certainly of interest to the Embassy and consulates". "These have been a primary target for (United Front) work both for their access into the diaspora and as a venue to win hearts and minds to the party's standpoint," they said. Read more about the federal election: Want even more? Here's where you can find all our 2025 One Australian government official told the ABC the status of groups like the Hubei Association was "difficult to pin down" because of the amorphous nature of the United Front and the way it operated. The Coalition has said Ms O'Neil should have moved quickly to refer the matter to electoral authorities. Photo shows Composite images of three people - two women and a man - smiling at the camera. After five weeks, and tens of thousands of contributions, voters are still appealing for bolder ambition from their political leaders. Coalition campaign spokesman James Paterson declined to say whether he believed Chinese government linked groups were actively trying to influence the campaign. "What I can say more broadly and without getting into these specific examples (is) if you were a foreign authoritarian government and you wanted to weaken or destabilise Australia, you would probably prefer that there be a hung parliament, that no party have a majority," he told Sky News. This morning he said that Ms O'Neil had "not been completely up-front and honest about their relationship with these individuals and with these groups." But Mr Ji said the Hubei Association was "not subject to the control and direction of any entity" and insisted he hadn't tried to influence the election or Australian politicians in any way. "What is the evidence and facts that can show my connection with (the United Front) of China?" he said. "In a democratic Australia, this kind of fact-less slander makes all of us Chinese in Australia feel terrified."
