U.S. Citizen Convicted for Running Secret Chinese Police Station in New York

May 14, 2026, 16:47

Introduction

A federal jury has found Lu Jianwang, a U.S. citizen, guilty of operating an unauthorized police station in Manhattan for the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Main Body

The court found that Lu Jianwang, also known as Harry Lu, and his co-defendant Chen Jinping opened a facility in Manhattan's Chinatown in January 2022. This operation was managed by the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), which is the main domestic security agency of the PRC. During an FBI search in October 2022, investigators found a banner identifying the site as the 'Fuzhou Police Overseas Service Station.' Prosecutors emphasized that this office was part of a global plan by the MPS to track and pressure political dissidents living abroad, specifically noting that Lu was ordered to find a pro-democracy activist. Regarding the legal outcomes, Chen Jinping pleaded guilty in December 2024 to conspiracy to act as a PRC agent and is waiting for his sentence. Lu was convicted of acting as an illegal foreign agent and obstructing justice, as he deleted WeChat messages with an MPS official. He now faces a maximum sentence of 30 years. On the other hand, the defense argued that the facility was simply a community center for administrative tasks, such as renewing driver's licenses, and denied any spying activities. Furthermore, this case is part of a larger international trend, as governments in Canada and Europe have also closed similar outposts. The rights group Safeguard Defenders reports that these stations exist in over 50 countries, although the PRC government denies this and claims they are only service centers for its citizens.

Conclusion

Lu Jianwang is currently on bail until his sentencing, while the PRC continues to deny that the facility was a secret police station.

Learning

⚡ The 'B2 Leap': From Simple Facts to Complex Contrasts

At the A2 level, you describe things simply: "The man is guilty. He had a police station." To reach B2, you must master Nuanced Contrasts. This is the ability to show two opposing sides of a story in one sophisticated flow.

🛠 The Tool: Contrast Connectors

Look at how the article handles the disagreement between the US government and the Chinese government. It doesn't just use "but." It uses high-level bridges:

"On the other hand..." $\rightarrow$ Used to switch to a completely different perspective (The Prosecution vs. The Defense).
"Although..." $\rightarrow$ Used to acknowledge a fact while emphasizing a contradiction ("Although the PRC government denies this...").
"Furthermore..." $\rightarrow$ Used to add a layer of complexity to the argument.

🔍 Linguistic Breakdown: The 'Passive' Shift

B2 students stop focusing only on who did the action and start focusing on the result.

A2 Style: "A jury found Lu Jianwang guilty." (Active/Simple) B2 Style: "Lu was convicted of acting as an illegal foreign agent." (Passive/Formal)

Why this matters: In professional or legal English, using the passive voice (was convicted, was managed) makes you sound objective and academic rather than conversational.

🚀 Vocabulary Upgrade

Stop using "small words" and start using "precise words" found in the text:

A2 Word	B2 Upgrade	Context from Text
Stop	Obstruct	"Obstructing justice"
Secret	Unauthorized	"Unauthorized police station"
Person	Dissident	"Political dissidents"
Part	Facility	"Opened a facility"

Vocabulary Learning

conspiracy (n.)

a secret plan by a group to do something illegal or harmful

Example:The company was charged with conspiracy to defraud investors.

agent (n.)

a person who works for an organization, often representing it in some capacity

Example:He worked as an agent for the government.

obstruct (v.)

to block or hinder progress or action

Example:The protestors tried to obstruct the police.

deleting (v.)

removing something, especially from a computer or database

Example:She was caught deleting important files.

administrative (adj.)

relating to the organization, management, or running of an institution

Example:The administrative staff handled all paperwork.

bail (n.)

money paid to a court to secure the release of a suspect before trial

Example:He was released on bail until his trial.

sentence (n.)

the punishment given to someone convicted of a crime

Example:The judge announced a five-year sentence.

facility (n.)

a building or place designed for a particular purpose

Example:The new facility will serve the community.

outpost (n.)

a small military or police station located away from a main base

Example:The outpost was located on the border.

denies (v.)

says that something is not true or refuses to admit it

Example:The company denies any involvement.

claims (v.)

states that something is true, often without proof

Example:She claims she saw the accident.

overseas (adj.)

located in or relating to a foreign country

Example:They have operations overseas.

international (adj.)

involving more than one country or worldwide

Example:It is an international conference.

trend (n.)

a general direction or pattern of change over time

Example:There is a trend towards renewable energy.

rights group (n.)

an organization that works to protect or promote human rights

Example:The rights group filed a lawsuit.

defender (n.)

a person who supports or protects others

Example:He is a defender of civil liberties.

unauthorized (adj.)

not permitted or approved by authority

Example:Unauthorized access was detected.

co-defendant (n.)

a person who is charged with a crime together with another

Example:The co-defendant pleaded not guilty.