China’s Operation Fox Hunt

By Jack Cardew

Operation Fox Hunt is an initiative launched by the Chinese government in 2014, ostensibly aimed at forcing Chinese nationals or Chinese-Americans to fly to China, where they can be arrested and interrogated. 

China has set-up "police stations" in Manhattan and other cities - and many other countries - to run enforcers and spies to track US residents who are critical of China's Communist dictatorship.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) portrays the operation as a legitimate "anti-corruption" campaign, however international human rights organizations have raised significant concerns about its brutal methods and objectives.

Objectives and Methods

The primary goal of Operation Fox Hunt is to locate and repatriate individuals whom the Chinese government considers fugitives. However, the operation has been criticized for employing coercive tactics that violate international norms and the sovereignty of other nations. These tactics reportedly include:​

·Surveillance and Harassment: Targets and their families have allegedly been subjected to persistent monitoring, threats, and intimidation

Coercion of Relatives: In some instances, family members in China are reportedly pressured or detained to compel the return of the targeted individual.​

Use of Spies and Covert Agents: Chinese operatives are accused of operating clandestinely in foreign countries to track, contact, and persuade or coerce individuals to return to China.

International Response

The international community, particularly the United States, has expressed alarm over Operation Fox Hunt, viewing it as a form of transnational repression that undermines the rule of law and infringes upon national sovereignty. U.S. authorities have taken legal action against individuals involved in these operations on American soil.

Notable Cases

United States

Quanzhong An: A 58-year-old Chinese citizen and U.S. resident, An was sentenced to 20 months in prison for acting as an illegal foreign agent. He participated in efforts to coerce a Chinese expatriate to return to China, including visiting the target's son's home and engaging in recorded meetings to apply pressure. This case highlights the U.S. government's stance against foreign harassment and intimidation within its borders.

Zhu Yong: In January 2025, Zhu was sentenced to two years in U.S. prison for his role in an intimidation campaign targeting a former Chinese city official residing in New Jersey. Zhu's actions included assisting in locating the target and conveying threats, reflecting the broader pattern of coercion associated with Operation Fox Hunt.

Zheng Congying: Also in January 2025, Zheng received a 16-month prison sentence for stalking a Chinese ex-official in New Jersey. He left a threatening note at the individual's residence, exemplifying the intimidation tactics employed in these operations.

Italy

Zhang: In 2015, Italian authorities arrested and extradited a woman surnamed Zhang to China, marking the first European extradition under Operation Fox Hunt. Zhang was accused of financial crimes in China. The extradition raised concerns about the operation's reach into European jurisdictions.

France

Zheng Ning: In March 2017, Zheng Ning, who had lived in France for three years, was persuaded by Chinese officials to return to China. French authorities were not informed of this repatriation, leading to diplomatic tensions and a formal complaint from French intelligence regarding the breach of sovereignty.

Canada

·Intimidation of Chinese-Canadian Community: The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) reported that Chinese authorities have used threats and intimidation against members of Canada's Chinese community as part of Operation Fox Hunt. These tactics aim to coerce individuals to return to China and have been criticized for violating Canadian sovereignty and the rights of its citizens.

Australia

Coercion of Chinese Nationals: Reports indicate that Chinese officials have approached Chinese nationals in Australia, pressuring them to return to China. These actions have prompted Australian authorities to investigate and address concerns over foreign interference and the safety of individuals within their borders.

Global Implications

Operation Fox Hunt has strained China's diplomatic relations with several countries, leading to increased scrutiny of its overseas activities. Critics argue that the operation serves not only to combat corruption but also to suppress political dissent and control narratives among the Chinese diaspora. The use of extrajudicial means to achieve these ends raises significant ethical and legal questions on the international stage.