Obama administration warns against China’s ‘Operation Fox Hunt’ in US

Chinese government agents are operating secretly in the U.S.to pressure influential expatriates, some wanted in China on charges of corruption, to return home, the New York Times reported Sunday, citing anonymous American officials.

The Times reported information that Chinese agents had been trying to track down Ling Wancheng, a wealthy and politically connected businessman.

The Beijing government has dubbed the initiative Operation Fox Hunt, and claims it is part of renewed efforts to stamp out corruption in the communist country.

This may also make President Xi Jinping’s first state visit to the US in September slightly more awkward.

The warning was issued in the past several weeks through diplomatic channels, officials said, confirming an account that appeared Sunday evening on the New York Times Web site.

The newspaper cited Ministry of Public Security figures that more than 930 suspects worldwide had been repatriated under the programme since previous year.

Such tactics included threats against relatives in China and they had intensified in recent months.

The United States has its own history of sending operatives undercover to other nations – sometimes under orders to kidnap or kill.

It is unclear whether the FBI or the Department of Homeland Security has advocated within the Obama administration to have the Chinese agents expelled from the country, but the White House decision to have the State Department issue a warning to the Chinese government about the activities could be an initial step in the process.

China and the United States do not have an extradition treaty.

Experts who have examined the names of China’s top 100 fugitives tell the Times that they don’t believe those listed are truly high-priority criminals, but are rather targeted by Beijing for so-called “political crimes”.

“We continue to emphasize to [People’s Republic of China] officials that it is incumbent on them to provide U.S. officials with significant, clear, and convincing evidence to allow our law enforcement agencies to proceed with investigations, removals, and prosecutions of fugitives”, said Toner.