In an interview with the New York Post on September 23, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the Chinese Consulate in New York is being used by the Communist Party as a major center for espionage in the U.S. “They’re engaging in activities that have crossed the line from normal diplomatic activity to something more akin to what spies do.
Pompeo made the statement while commenting on the case of a New York City police officer accused of spying for China. On Monday, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a criminal complaint against New York City Police Department (NYPD) Tibetan police officer Aung Wang, accusing the Chinese-born naturalized immigrant of spying on the Tibetan community and others in New York and providing intelligence resources to the Chinese consulate at the behest of diplomats at the Chinese consulate in New York. The Chinese deny this.
Pompeo added that the Justice Department is handling the prosecution of several such cases and believes that more cases will follow.
The Chinese Consulate General in New York responded to the allegations by posting an “Answer to a Reporter’s Question” on the Consulate’s official website on April 25, saying, “The Chinese Consulate General in New York has always abided by international law and relevant bilateral agreements between China and the U.S., and has always been committed to promoting mutual understanding and friendly cooperation between China and the U.S. in all fields, and there is no such thing as ‘espionage. There is no such thing as ‘spy’ activities at all. The U.S. side’s related allegations are completely false and slanderous.””” The U.S. intentionally misrepresented the normal exchanges between the Chinese Consulate General in New York and the various communities in the region with false allegations, which is obviously untenable and unpopular.”
Pompeo also said in the interview that Chinese espionage in New York may extend to Chinese diplomats at the UN headquarters in New York. He said the Trump administration is closely monitoring the number of Chinese diplomats working in the United States.
In addition to its embassy in Washington, China currently has consulates in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago.
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