CCP Surveillance Targets Taiwan Leader’s Family in US, Vietnam Sentences Ethnic Khmer Krom Activists

HRF firmly condemns the Chinese government’s surveillance of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s son in the United States. Early this month, the FBI revealed that a woman in California, Wanying Zhang, had been arrested for spying under the direction of Chinese officials. The Taiwanese government called this a “classic case of transnational repression.”

According to the US Department of Justice, Zhang surveilled Lai’s family in the United States and sent information to China. She has been charged with acting as an unregistered foreign agent.

The case highlights a broader pattern of transnational repression linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), in which Beijing targets individuals abroad through surveillance, intimidation, and other forms of coercion. HRF has documented these tactics and their impact on diaspora communities.

HRF calls on governments to protect individuals targeted by CCP-linked transnational repression and hold those responsible accountable. HRF’s latest toolkit offers resources to help communities recognize and respond to such threats.

HRF strongly condemns Vietnam’s sentencing of ethnic Khmer Krom activists Thach Chanh Tra and Chau Thi Thien to years in prison under Article 331 of the country’s Penal Code. Tra was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison. Thien’s sentence is 2.5 years.

Tra and Thien’s convictions stem from social media posts, discussions, and livestreams. Tra was accused of criticizing state policy, including on ethnic and religious issues, while Thien’s case arose from commentary related to a land dispute. Officials have characterized their content as “false” and defamatory.

Tra and Thien’s sentencing is part of Vietnam’s ongoing pattern of using Article 331, which broadly criminalizes “abusing democratic freedoms,” to silence religious and ethnic minorities, journalists, and activists. The charge carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.

HRF calls on Vietnam to overturn the convictions and immediately and unconditionally release Thach Chanh Tra and Chau Thi Thien. HRF also calls on Vietnam to respect the rights to freedom of religion or belief, and to preserve ethnic languages and cultures, including those of the Khmer Krom.