Garland says Chinese agents being charged with obstruction, other crimes

The U.S. Justice Department has taken several actions to disrupt criminal activity by individuals working on behalf of the government of the People’s Republic of China, said U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland during a news conference on Monday. Garland said two Chinese intelligence officers have been charged with attempting to obstruct a criminal prosecution of a China-based telecom company, while four individuals — including three PRC intelligence officers — have been charged with conspiring to act in the U.S. as illegal agents on behalf of a foreign government, including using the cover of a purported Chinese academic institute to attempt to procure U.S. technology as well as to stop protests that would have embarrassed Beijing. In addition, seven individuals have been charged over a campaign of threats and harassment to force a U.S. resident to return to China.