Governor Greg Abbott of Texas has issued an executive order to combat influence operations by the Chinese government targeting dissidents living in the state. This action comes in response to the Chinese government’s “Operation Fox Hunt,” which has been used to intimidate and forcibly repatriate Chinese citizens living abroad. The U.S. Justice Department has prosecuted individuals in connection to this initiative. The FBI in Houston has launched a public campaign to stop harassment and intimidation of individuals by foreign governments, particularly the Chinese government.
State Representative Gene Wu, who immigrated from China to the U.S., has commended Abbott’s move, emphasizing the importance of free speech and living freely as core American values. Abbott’s executive order also aims to protect Texans from unlawful actions by the Chinese government and directs the Texas Department of Public Safety to identify and charge individuals involved in Operation Fox Hunt. The order also sets up a hotline for reporting suspected acts of coercion related to this initiative.
Abbott has issued a second executive order to enhance the cybersecurity of state agencies and public higher education institutions from potential threats posed by hostile foreign nations. This story was originally reported by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
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