Authorities in Texas are issuing a chilling warning over Beijing's
possible retribution here in the United States against Chinese citizens
who are critical of the communist country.
That comes as the incoming Trump administration considers the return
of the Justice Department's China Initiative.
Correspondent David Spawn explains from Washington.
Good evening, David.
Hello, Brett.
Good evening.
The FBI opens a counterintelligence case relating to China roughly
every 12 hours.
Think about that.
This according to the FBI director, Chris Wray.
In Texas, the FBI and Governor Greg Abbott are working
separate missions to warn the public about Chinese spying and
intimidation.
This week, Governor Abbott issued an executive order directing the
Public Safety Department to protect Chinese dissidents who are being
threatened by people connected to the communist there.
Abbott is warning Texans that Chinese spies are threatening and
intimidating people who fled the communist country and now call
Texas home.
It's happening through cyber stocking and other forms of harassment.
We're on the front lines of having a guard against
this potential Chinese attack, which is why we are redoubling
our efforts to arrest anybody in the state of Texas
who's posing any type of China problem whatsoever by making
sure that our universities, our our investments, all things like
that are, are are being walled off from China.
Abbott says the Chinese government set up what's called the
Chinese police service station.
In plain terms, Brett, a spy house.
The FBI has been focusing on this particular type of
stalking and threats targeting dissidents for years, telling Fox News
in part.
When foreign governments stalk, intimidate or assault people in the
United States, it is considered transnational repression.
It is illegal.
During the Trump administration, the DOJ developed the China Initiative,
a way to root out Chinese espionage.
When the Garland DOJ came in, it took about a
year, but they eventually got rid of the name due
to complaints and protests.
The DOJ and FBI still continued to uncover these crimes
under the Garland regime, and it's expected to continue under
the next regime, perhaps with the name the China Initiative
back.
Brett.
OK, David.
Thank you.