Authoritarian regimes do not take kindly to criticism or critics. To consolidate power, they often resort to illegal and brutal ways to shut down dissents and eliminate those they consider a threat. More than a decade ago, leaving the country was a means to remain safe from the clutches of such aggressive, oppressive regimes. But that is no longer the case.
Dictatorial and fanatical regimes are increasingly finding ways to operate outside their national borders to silence voices of dissent. Such activities are termed “transnational repression.” Targeting the diaspora, the tactics range from physical assault to coercion of family members and friends back home. Unlawful extradition, harassment, intimidation, and pressure to return to the homeland to face, often made-up, charges are becoming more commonplace. Assassinations and murders are not unheard of. The murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents at a consulate in Istanbul made headlines the world over.
Washington-based non-profit Freedom House documented 735 incidents of transnational repression from 2014 through 2021. China accounted for 229 cases – almost a third. Documented evidence shows that, at present, Beijing runs the most sophisticated and far-reaching international campaign to suppress dissent beyond its borders. With a comprehensive network of secret police stations on foreign soil, China is running a campaign undermining many countries’ sovereignty and national security. While two-thirds of such activities are being carried out in non-democratic countries, Beijing’s tentacles are spread across all five continents.
“There seems to be a marked escalation in their efforts to carry out this unlawful campaign, a campaign that’s inimical not only to U.S. law but [also to] democratic values that we adhere to,” said David Laufman, who was the head of the Justice Department’s counterintelligence section from 2014 to 2018.
In The Crosshairs
Those in the crosshairs of China’s vast transnational repression network are Hong Kongers, Uyghurs, Tibetans, Mongolians, human rights activists, journalists critical of the regime, former state employees, former student activists from the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, and others who criticize the government. Last year, around 120,000 Chinese nationals applied for asylum in other countries. Hong Kongers have been leaving in hordes since Beijing began its crackdown on the island.
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Beijing is closing all possible loopholes. It has concluded extradition treaties with 34 countries. With many more under consideration, China is making sure that its citizens will hard a hard time finding asylum in foreign countries.
Like-Minded Regimes
Teaming up with other governments who operate along the same lines, Beijing is actively pursuing its plans to have organizations listed as ‘terrorists’ and to blacklist individuals. By entering into massive developmental projects with developing nations, China is leveraging its economic prowess to get governments to cooperate with its repatriation efforts.
The proliferation of digital media has taken harassment to a whole new dimension. Online harassment, smear campaigns, and trolling are easy, even without crossing into foreign countries. Phishing and commercial spyware are used to infiltrate dissidents’ electronic devices and to spy on their activities. Diasporas’ use of technology and social platforms to remain in contact with their loved ones back home and highlight the atrocities in their homeland are efficiently and effectively used against them.
The indictment of five men by a U.S. grand jury on July 7, 2022, shed light on the extent of the trouble. Two of the defendants were a retired employee and a current one of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The incident highlighted China’s successful efforts in using law enforcement officials and sympathizers to carry out its illegal activity on U.S. soil.
The co-optation of American personnel spells trouble for the nation. Such incidents will lead to a lack of trust among the diaspora and eventually tear up the fabric of the society. Uzra Zeya, undersecretary of state for civilian security, democracy, and human rights, said that the White House has put visa restrictions, export controls, and the investigation and prosecution of perpetrators to curb China’s growing repression activities. But international cooperation and concerted efforts are needed to stop Beijing from carrying out shadow government operations on foreign soil.
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