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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Elections & Politics

Figure skater's father tells U.S. Congress of Chinese surveillance

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Liu Jun, father of Chinese-American figure skater Alysa Liu, testified before the U.S. Congress about experiencing espionage and surveillance by Chinese agents.
  • He emphasized that "America will not be safe until democracy is realized in China."
  • The hearing addressed China's transnational repression tactics, with Liu Jun detailing his experience of being monitored in 2021.

Liu Jun, the father of U.S. figure skater Alysa Liu, testified before the U.S. Congress, detailing his experiences of espionage and surveillance by agents acting on behalf of the Chinese government. Speaking at a hearing on China's transnational repression, Liu Jun, who fled China after the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, stated, "America will not be safe until democracy is realized in China."

America will not be safe until democracy is realized in China.

— Liu JunLiu Jun's statement during his testimony to the U.S. Congress.

Liu Jun recounted an incident in late 2021 when he received a call from someone posing as a U.S. Olympic Committee official, requesting his and his daughter's passport information for international travel preparations. Shortly after, he was contacted by the FBI, who informed him that a Chinese government operative had been tracking his movements in the San Francisco Bay Area and attempting to collect his personal data, including passport details.

the Chinese Communist Party sent the People's Liberation Army to suppress peaceful demonstrators.

— Chris SmithRep. Chris Smith describing the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.

This surveillance intensified as Alysa Liu was preparing to represent the U.S. at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Liu Jun expressed deep concern for his daughter's safety, recalling another FBI warning that the operative was attempting to go to their home. During the Olympics, Alysa Liu received additional security escorts. The U.S. Department of Justice later announced criminal charges against the operatives involved, including the individual who impersonated an Olympic official.

the Tiananmen incident cannot be erased.

— Chris SmithRep. Chris Smith on the historical significance of the Tiananmen Square protests.

Liu Jun expressed gratitude for the FBI's protection and the U.S. government's actions but stressed that more must be done. He urged a stronger U.S. stance against China's transnational oppression and human rights abuses, reiterating his belief that the U.S. cannot be truly safe while China remains undemocratic and disregards basic human rights and the rule of law. Co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, Rep. Chris Smith, highlighted Liu's experience as an example of the authoritarian regime's pervasive reach.

the events that occurred at the end of 2021 proved me wrong.

— Liu JunLiu Jun reflecting on his past belief that he could leave political persecution behind in the U.S.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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