How Beijing Controls Its “Dissidents” Abroad

The United States has long been a haven for those fleeing persecution from oppressive regimes. Yet, as recent events have shown, even within its borders, freedom is not always guaranteed. The recent arrest of Yuanjun Tang, a former Tiananmen Square pro-democracy activist, exposes a darker, more insidious tactic used by the Chinese government: sending agents to the U.S. who masquerade as dissidents but are secretly under the control of Beijing’s intelligence agencies.

The Tang Case: From Dissident to Double Agent

Yuanjun Tang’s story is one that should have been a tale of triumph over tyranny. In 1989, he bravely stood among the throngs of protesters in Tiananmen Square, demanding freedom and democracy from the Chinese Communist Party. When the protests were brutally suppressed, Tang fled, first to Taiwan and eventually to the United States, where he was granted political asylum and later became a naturalized citizen. For years, he appeared to be a dedicated advocate for Chinese democracy, participating in events with fellow dissidents.

But in August 2024, the truth emerged. Federal prosecutors in New York accused Tang of working as a covert agent for China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) from 2018 to 2023. Tang’s transformation from a celebrated dissident into a spy for the very regime he once opposed reveals a chilling reality about China’s reach and influence. According to the Department of Justice, Tang “regularly received instructions from and reported to an MSS intelligence officer regarding individuals and groups viewed by the PRC as potentially adverse to the PRC’s interests.”

The MSS, China’s principal intelligence agency, has a notorious reputation for its ruthlessness and cunning. Tang’s case is particularly disturbing because it illustrates how the MSS can manipulate those who have sought refuge in the U.S., turning them into instruments of the very oppression they once fled.

The Cost of Family and Freedom

At the heart of Tang’s betrayal lies a deeply personal and painful coercion: his family. After years of exile, Tang sought to reunite with his loved ones in mainland China. This desire led him into the clutches of the MSS. In 2018, Tang was introduced to an MSS agent, and from that moment, his fate was sealed. In exchange for the opportunity to visit his family, Tang agreed to spy on his fellow dissidents. The MSS didn’t stop there—they also provided financial support to Tang’s family, further tightening their grip on him.

Prosecutors allege that Tang’s espionage activities were extensive. He passed on information about pro-democracy events, monitored encrypted group chats used by Chinese dissidents, and even provided details about the campaign of a Congressional candidate who was a prominent Chinese dissident and human rights activist. In one particularly chilling instance, Tang reported on events planned in New York to commemorate the Tiananmen Square massacre, a brutal crackdown that had once driven him to flee China.

The level of control exerted over Tang by the MSS was staggering. Court documents revealed that during a 2022 meeting, the MSS agent installed a “bug” in one of Tang’s cellphones, which “caused any photo, screenshot, or voice memorandum generated or captured on the Compromised Phone to be immediately transmitted” to the MSS officer. Tang had become a puppet, his every move monitored, his every action dictated by the MSS.

A Broader Pattern of Repression

Tang’s case is not an isolated incident. It is part of a broader pattern of transnational repression orchestrated by the Chinese government. Over the past few years, the U.S. Department of Justice has charged numerous individuals with similar crimes, all tied to China’s efforts to silence dissent beyond its borders.

Just last year, the FBI arrested two men for allegedly operating a secret Chinese police station in New York City. This station was used to influence and intimidate Chinese dissidents living in the U.S., a clear violation of American sovereignty and a direct attack on the freedom of expression. Earlier this month, another Chinese dissident was convicted of secretly working with Chinese intelligence officers to surveil and report on U.S.-based activists.

These cases reveal the extent to which the Chinese government is willing to go to suppress dissent, even on foreign soil. The MSS, under the direction of Chinese President Xi Jinping, has expanded its reach and influence, using a combination of coercion, fear, and manipulation to control those who dare to oppose the Chinese Communist Party. The FBI’s investigation into Tang uncovered a “Chinese-language copy of the FBI’s Transnational Repression Threat Intimidation Guide,” a sobering reminder that the MSS is well aware of the methods used by U.S. law enforcement to counter their activities—and they are actively working to undermine them.

The Dark Reality of Covert Espionage

Tang’s story serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by covert espionage and the lengths to which authoritarian regimes like China will go to protect their interests. The Chinese government’s ability to infiltrate dissident communities in the U.S. is a grave threat not only to those directly targeted but also to the values of freedom and democracy that the U.S. seeks to uphold.

The psychological toll on those targeted by the MSS is immense. Dissidents who fled China in search of safety and freedom now find themselves living in fear, constantly looking over their shoulders, unsure of whom they can trust. The knowledge that former comrades, like Tang, might be secretly working for the Chinese government only heightens this fear.

Moreover, the fact that the MSS can coerce individuals through threats to their families back in China is a powerful tool of repression. It exploits the most fundamental human instincts—the desire to protect one’s loved ones—turning them into a weapon of control. This tactic ensures that even those who have escaped China’s borders are never truly free from its grasp.

For dissidents and activists, the reality is stark: the fight for freedom does not end upon reaching foreign shores. The long arm of authoritarian regimes like China’s can reach into even the safest of havens, using every means at their disposal to silence those who speak out against them.

Most Americans cannot imagine the the hidden battles that affect Chinese Americans, and the fact that China has so thoroughly penetrated the U.S. that free speech related to the the criticism has been stifled.

But some of us know. The editor of the Anti-Communist Zone does indeed realize that the Chinese MSS knows who he is. And if he ever decided to travel to China, his life would be in serious danger.

And that is a fact.