TEXAS—Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order Monday directing the Texas Department of Public Safety to target and arrest people who seek to conduct influence operations on behalf of the Chinese government to deport dissidents to China. instructed.
Mr. Abbott’s actions were a response to the Chinese government’s “Operation Fox Hunt,” which was intended to root out corruption in the country, but was actually intended to intimidate Chinese nationals living overseas and to target Chinese democracy activists. It has also been used to harass and even deport people. In some cases, this includes dissidents and government officials. The U.S. Department of Justice has successfully prosecuted individuals in connection with China’s efforts.
“The Chinese Communist Party is waging a global harassment campaign to force Chinese dissidents back to China,” Abbott said in a news release. “Texas will not tolerate the harassment and coercion of the Chinese Communist Party or its violent agents against the more than 250,000 people of Chinese descent who legally call Texas home.”
Mr. Abbott’s office did not respond to requests for comment.
Conor Hagan, a spokesman for the FBI office in Houston, said the agency has been pursuing a public campaign since January to stop foreign governments from harassing, threatening and assaulting people in the United States. said. The FBI is searching for potential victims of harassment by Chinese government officials in the Houston area.
Hagan said the Chinese government is not only targeting its own citizens living in the United States, but also naturalized and U.S.-born citizens with family abroad.
“Their actions violate the laws of the United States and the individual rights and freedoms of Americans that we hold dear,” Hagan wrote in an email.
The FBI office in Houston has set up a hotline for people who believe they are victims of this type of conduct by the Chinese Communist Party: (713) 693-5000.
State Rep. Gene Wu (D-Houston), who was born in China and immigrated to the United States, praised Abbott’s move Tuesday.
“The ability to speak your mind and live freely is a core promise of the American Dream, and anyone who attempts to take that away violates Texas values,” Wu said.
Last year, Wu criticized Texas Republicans for pushing a bill that would ban citizens of countries including China and foreign entities from purchasing land in Texas. He called on Abbott to also support Chinese immigrants by opposing such legislation.
According to President Abbott’s executive order, the Chinese government is establishing “police stations” around the world, and one such station is rumored to be in Houston.
“We will continue to do everything in our power to protect Texans from the illegal and oppressive actions of the Chinese Communist Party,” Abbott said.
Abbott charged DPS with identifying and prosecuting criminal suspects related to Operation Fox Hunt. Work with local and federal authorities to evaluate incidents of foreign government harassment of Texans. It provides policy recommendations on how to counter these threats and establishes a hotline for reports of suspected coercion related to Operation Fox Hunt.
Mr. Abbott on Tuesday issued his second executive order aimed at fortifying the systems of state institutions and public higher education institutions from access by hostile foreign states.
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This article was originally published by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
