PHOTO ESSAY: In Texas, a former Chinese official targeted by Beijing’s surveillance finds refuge
Summarize this article with:
Article contentMIDLAND, Texas (AP) — The Chinese government is using an increasingly powerful tool to control and monitor its own officials: Surveillance technology, much of it originating in the United States, an Associated Press investigation has found.Sign In or Create an AccountEmail AddressContinueor View more offersArticle contentAmong its targets is Li Chuanliang, a Chinese former vice mayor hunted by Beijing with the help of surveillance technology. Li’s communications were monitored, his assets seized and his movements followed in police databases. More than 40 friends and relatives — including his pregnant daughter — were identified and detained back in China.Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Article contentArticle contentDeep in the Texas countryside, Li has now found refuge with members of a Chinese church living in exile after fleeing from China like Li.Article contentTop StoriesGet the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.There was an error, please provide a valid email address.Sign UpBy signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Article contentHere, the Chihuahuan Desert unfurls as a stark, flat expanse of sand, punctured by phone poles and wind turbines. Tumbleweeds roll across roads, past ranches flying the Lone Star flag and pumpjacks extracting oil.Article contentLi and members of the church are building a new life, thousands of miles from China. They cook, eat, and study together. They plant olive trees and design new homes for their budding community. On Sundays, they attend church, singing hymns and reading the Bible.Article contentBut even in the United States, Li worries he’s being watched. Strange men stalk him. Spies have looked for him. He carries multiple phones.Article contentSurveillance technology powers China’s anti-corruption crackdown at home and abroad — a campaign critics say is used to stifle dissent and exact retribution on perceived enemies.Article contentBeijing has accused Li of corruption totaling around $435 million, but Li says he’s being targeted for openly criticizing the Chinese Communist Party. He denies criminal charges of taking bribes and embezzling state funds.Article contentLi exudes some of the authority he once wielded as vice mayor. But he’s traded his suit and tie for a jacket vest, the Chinese flag for America’s star-spangled banner, and his podium and phalanx of state journalists for a bright, white LED light and flimsy tripod in a sparse room behind a communal church kitchen.Article contentFrom here, Li tapes videos for an online audience, fighting a war of words with the party he once swore loyalty to.Article contentThis is a documentary photo story curated by AP photo editors.Article contentTrending CRA penalized taxpayer for repeated failure to report income Personal Finance Canadian households boost their wealth to another record high of $18.4 trillion with ‘supercharged' financial asset growth Wealth U.S. trade deficit unexpectedly shrinks to smallest since 2020 Economy Who is Mark Wiseman? The career of the man expected to be Canada’s new U.S. ambassador Finance This generation of Canadians is rapidly increasing its wealth and may soon unseat the boomers Wealth Share this article in your social networkCommentsYou must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.Create an AccountSign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. CRA penalized taxpayer for repeated failure to report income Personal Finance Canadian households boost their wealth to another record high of $18.4 trillion with ‘supercharged' financial asset growth Wealth U.S. trade deficit unexpectedly shrinks to smallest since 2020 Economy Who is Mark Wiseman? The career of the man expected to be Canada’s new U.S. ambassador Finance This generation of Canadians is rapidly increasing its wealth and may soon unseat the boomers Wealth