In a highly unusual move, the heads of the Department of Justice and the US Federal Police joined in a press conference in Washington DC on Monday.
The announcement of formal charges, arrests and strong suspicions was indirectly aimed at Beijing and a warning to the Chinese regime about placing spies in the United States.
Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray were behind the accusations.
In total, it concerns 13 people who are suspected of having spied or been active in influencing American citizens on behalf of China.
Two named
Two named individuals are accused of attempting to direct a person they believed to be cooperating with them into requisitioning classified information about witnesses, evidence and possible prosecution from the Department of Justice.
The documents would have related to the investigation of the Chinese telecom company Huawei.
However, their contact person cooperated with US authorities at the same time, who, among other things, provided the two with incorrect information about charges against some of Huawei's executives.
- In 2019, the suspects assigned an employee of the prosecutor's office to steal confidential information about the prosecution of the company, Garland said, without naming which company it concerned.
The telecom company's name does not appear in the investigation either, but references in the Ministry of Justice's indictment indirectly point to Huawei, according to the American news agency AP.
Arrest warrants have been issued, but it was not clear if they will be caught.
Two more separate cases "demonstrate that the Chinese government is attempting to impede the rights and freedoms of a number of individuals in the United States and erode our legal system that protects those rights," according to Garland.
Effort fox hunting
In one of the cases, called "Operation Foxhunting," prosecutors allege that Chinese agents tried to intimidate a person and his family into returning to China.
"It is best for you that you surrender to the authorities," the agents are said to have threatened, according to the United States Department of Justice.
In addition, several individuals were singled out for attempting to access sensitive technology and equipment under the guise of academic studies.
The accused are also said to have participated in protests critical of the regime in Beijing, with the apparent aim of informing on participants.
- These cases clearly show that Chinese agents do not shy away from breaking the law and international norms, says Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.