Eight Republican United States senators are blowing the whistle on a network of Communist Chinese spy centers operating on American soil, and demanding the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Justice Department investigate the threat.
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) led a letter to Director of the FBI Christopher Wray and Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen calling for “an immediate inquiry into the issue of Chinese surveillance in the United States.”
Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) joined Senator Blackburn as co-signers on the letter.
“The Chinese Communist Party has set up ‘service centers' that have reportedly coordinated with China's national police agency in seven US cities,” a statement from Blackburn alleges.
“While these Overseas Chinese Service Centers are purportedly used to foster Chinese culture and help Chinese citizens living in the US, the centers' relationship with Beijing's Ministry of Public Security suggests they may be used as spy stations,” the statement adds.
“Recent reporting indicates that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has secretly operated ‘service centers' in seven cities across America— from San Francisco to Houston to Charlotte,” the letter reads.
“Specifically, because of reporting from the Daily Caller, we have learned that the CCP has been utilizing ‘Overseas Chinese Service Centers' (OCSCs) housed within American-based nonprofit organizations,” the letter reveals.
“These OCSCs—which were apparently established to ‘promote Chinese culture and assist Chinese citizens living abroad'— reportedly coordinated with China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS), the Chinese national police agency,” the senators write.
“The MPS also serves as an intelligence operative for the CCP, which is why these allegations are so troubling and merit immediate investigation,” wrote the senators.
The senators point out this appears to be part of a larger Communist Chinese spy operation within the U.S.
“In April, the Department of Justice (DOJ) charged two New York City residents with operating an unauthorized MPS police outpost, which was ostensibly used to monitor and intimidate Chinese dissidents living in the United States. Just as troubling, in February, the U.S. Air Force shot down a Chinese spy balloon that had traveled through U.S. airspace for several days, an apparent act of provocation by the CCP,” the letter reports.
The senators are asking for an immediate and full investigation into the threat.
“We have witnessed over the last few years China's malign influence in the United States and around the world, underscoring why it is critical that these allegations outlined in the Daily Caller's reporting be thoroughly investigated. Thus, we request that the FBI and DOJ immediately commence an inquiry into this matter,” the senators conclude.
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