Chen Jinping Guilty in NYC Chinese Police Station Case

Chen Jinping, a New York resident, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to act as an unregistered foreign agent for China, admitting to operating a 'secret police station' in Manhattan's Chinatown as part of a scheme to aid Beijing in targeting dissidents. The advocacy group Safeguard Defenders uncovered this operation, which prosecutors claim was used to harass and intimidate Chinese dissidents in the U.S. Chen, along with co-defendant Lu Jianwang, was involved in establishing the station, but while Lu has pleaded not guilty, Chen faces up to five years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for May 30. The U.S. Department of Justice has been increasing efforts to counter foreign transnational repression activities. China's embassy in Washington has not commented, though Beijing has previously denied the existence of such police stations, asserting that these centers are volunteer-run to assist Chinese citizens abroad.