Operation Fox Hunt (Chinese: 猎狐专项行动) is a Chinese covert global operation whose stated aim is anti-corruption under CCP general secretary Xi Jinping's administration. It has led to the arrest of over 40 of its 100 most wanted globally.[1][2][3] The program is also believed to target Chinese dissidents living abroad to stop their activism under the guise of returning corrupt Chinese nationals to China to face criminal charges.[4]
History
Operation Fox Hunt was launched in June 2014. In the course of six months during 2015 Operation Fox Hunt repatriated 680 people to China.[5]
In 2015 Operation Fox Hunt scored its first big success in Europe with the arrest and extradition of a woman surnamed Zhang from Italy. It was the first time a European country had extradited someone to China on accusations of financial crimes.[6]
American response
Christopher A. Wray, July 2020, [1]
In 2015 the Obama administration protested the use of undercover intelligence agents as part of Operation Fox Hunt. In 2020 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director Christopher A. Wray gave a speech at the conservative Hudson Institute in New York where he talked at length about Fox Hunt and said the purpose of Fox Hunt is political repression not anti-corruption. According to Wray, targets are given the option of returning to China or committing suicide.[7] Wray also asserted that targets were often coerced into compliance through threats against family members and friends both in China and abroad.[8]
In October 2020 five people were arrested on charges related to their participation in Operation Fox Hunt against a target in the US.[9] An additional three people believed to be in China were charged with the same crimes.[10]
See also
- Anti-corruption campaign under Xi Jinping
- Chinese intelligence activity abroad
- Chinese information operations and information warfare
- Extraterritorial jurisdiction
- Hong Kong national security law
- Human rights in China
- Ministry of Public Security (China)
- Ministry of State Security (China)
- Political offences in China
References
- ^ "China's "Fox Hunt" Makes Great Achievements". Huffington Post. 25 April 2017. Archived from the original on 24 February 2019. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
- ^ "France opens probe into missing Chinese head of Interpol". The Economic Times. 5 October 2018. Archived from the original on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
- ^ "Operation Fox Hunt: Melbourne grandmother Zhou Shiqin prosecuted after return to China". Philip Wen. Sydney Morning Herald. 26 October 2016. Archived from the original on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
- ^ Borger, Julian (2020-07-08). "China blackmailing dissenters in US to return home – FBI chief". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 2020-07-07. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
- ^ Gan, Nectar. "Revealed: the team behind China's Operation Fox Hunt against graft suspects hiding abroad". www.scmp.com. South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 6 March 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
- ^ Timmons, Heather. "China's "Operation Fox Hunt" just bagged a trophy in Italy". qz.com. Quartz. Archived from the original on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
- ^ Borger, Julien. "China blackmailing dissenters in US to return home – FBI chief". www.theguardian.com. The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
- ^ "FBI chief warns of Beijing plot to compel overseas critics to return to China". www.abc.net.au. ABC Australia. Archived from the original on 8 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
- ^ Rej, Abhijnan. "8 Accused by the US of Participating in China's Operation Fox Hunt". thediplomat.com. The Diplomat. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
- ^ Macias, Amanda. "FBI arrests five in alleged 'Operation Fox Hunt' plot to stalk and pressure citizens to return to China". www.cnbc.com. CNBC. Retrieved 28 October 2020.