"I knowingly agreed to act as a foreign agent, for a foreign government," he told Judge Nina Morrison, speaking through an interpreter. This admission highlights Chen's direct involvement in espionage.
"At the time I did this, I did not inform the attorney general that I was acting as a foreign agent, and I was not registered as a foreign agent," he added. This emphasizes the lack of transparency in his actions.
Chen briefly tried in vain to sidestep the question by repeating 'the government' - and only admitted that he'd been representing China after he was pressed again by the judge. This reflects the challenge of holding individuals accountable in cases of foreign influence.
The arrests were part of what prosecutors at the time called a sweeping crackdown on Beijing's influence campaign in the US. This underscores the growing concerns about foreign espionage activities within the country.
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