"Chinese authorities have arrested the five employees of Mintz Group's Beijing office, all Chinese nationals, and closed our operations there," the company said in a statement.

The company says it "has not received official notice about any legal proceedings" against it, and has "asked the authorities to release its employees."

She says she has used lawyers to "dialogue with the authorities and help (her) employees and their families".

"We have always worked transparently, ethically and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations" in China, the company said, adding that it would work with authorities to "resolve any misunderstandings that may have led to these events."

Chains at the doors

On Friday, AFP journalists found that its premises in Beijing were empty, its doors blocked by chains.

Police offices in the area refused to respond to AFP. China's Foreign Ministry said it was not aware of the reports.

Mintz Group, headquartered in New York City, specializes in investigating allegations of fraud, corruption and misconduct at work, as well as background checks.

It has a total of 18 offices, including in Washington. On its website, Mintz Group says its employees "dig deep into the issues that concern our customers – from the presidential palace to the offshore oil platform".

In 2017, Randal Phillips, director of the group's Asia branch, said the United States should address the problems of structural imbalances caused by Chinese policies and penalizing trade.

A Mintz Group web page headlined "China must face consequences," with quotes from Phillips. It appears to have been removed, although archived versions remain available online.

Former CIA

According to U.S. government documents also available online, Randal Phillips testified before the 2018 delivery of a report by a U.S. congressional committee focused on Chinese attempts to expand its influence abroad.

On the Mintz Group website, Mr. Phillips is described as a former CIA where he worked for 28 years, "most recently as the CIA's chief representative in China."

The arrests come at a time when US-China relations are at their lowest in decades, with the world's two largest powers clashing on everything from trade to human rights.

Tensions escalated further in February when Washington shot down an alleged spy balloon, which Beijing continues to label as a weather device.

© 2023 AFP