MIDLAND, Texas — When retired Chinese official Li Chuanliang traveled to South Korea to recover from cancer, he expected rest and privacy. Instead, a frantic warning from a friend changed his life: do not return to China — you are now a wanted man.
Within days, Li noticed strangers photographing him in public. Fearing arrest and forced repatriation, he fled again, this time to the United States on a tourist visa, where he applied for asylum. But distance offered little safety. According to interviews, documents, and records reviewed by The Associated Press, Chinese authorities continued to track Li across continents using advanced surveillance technology, much of it originally developed by Western companies.
Li says his phone activity was monitored, his assets frozen, and his movements traced through police databases. More than 40 people connected to him — including relatives, friends, and business associates — were identified, questioned, or detained inside China. Even taxi drivers who transported his family members were located using facial recognition systems. Three former associates died while in detention, according to records reviewed by AP.
“They watch you constantly,” Li said. “Your phone, your finances, your family — everything is analyzed. No matter where you go, the pressure follows.”
Surveillance as a Tool of Global Reach
Li’s case offers a rare firsthand look at how China’s vast surveillance apparatus operates beyond its borders. Beijing has spent more than a decade building data-driven systems to monitor officials, citizens, and critics. Inside China, authorities say the technology supports anti-corruption efforts. Critics argue it has become a powerful mechanism for political control.
Chinese state data shows nearly 900,000 officials were punished last year alone — nearly five times the number from a decade earlier. Beyond China’s borders, similar tools are used under overseas campaigns known as “Fox Hunt” and “Sky Net,” which aim to pressure former officials, dissidents, and alleged fugitives to return home.
The U.S. government has repeatedly criticized these operations, describing them as violations of national sovereignty. Chinese state media has reported that more than 14,000 people have been brought back from over 120 countries through a mix of legal action, coercion, and pressure on family members.
“They want to show that escape is impossible,” said Yaqiu Wang, a China researcher at the University of Chicago. “The fear this creates is extremely effective.”
Western Technology, Chinese Enforcement
An AP investigation found that key elements of China’s surveillance infrastructure were powered by technology from U.S. companies, including IBM, Oracle, and Microsoft. Leaked emails, procurement records, and internal presentations show that software capable of mapping social networks, finances, travel, and communications was sold to Chinese law enforcement agencies, including units responsible for pursuing corruption suspects.
IBM confirmed it previously sold its i2 analytical software to China but said the business unit was divested in 2022 and that the company has safeguards to promote responsible use. Oracle declined to comment, and Microsoft did not respond to questions.
Chinese authorities maintain that all investigations are conducted lawfully. In a statement to AP, China’s foreign ministry said Beijing respects international law and urged other countries not to shelter corrupt officials.
From Anti-Corruption Enforcer to Target
Li rose through China’s bureaucracy in the 1990s and 2000s, earning a reputation as a tough state accountant in northeastern China. He helped implement early financial monitoring systems designed to expose fraud and misuse of public funds. Local media once praised him as a “bulwark against corruption.”
But after becoming vice mayor of the city of Jixi, Li says he witnessed widespread abuse of power by senior officials. In 2013, citing President Xi Jinping’s call to crack down on corruption at all levels, Li submitted detailed evidence accusing his superior of massive graft.
The move ultimately led to his boss’s conviction and prison sentence — but it also marked Li as a political liability. Though he was later cleared to retire, Li says scrutiny of his finances and family never stopped. Over time, he became openly critical of the Communist Party and later established an overseas whistleblower platform.
That dissent, experts say, crossed a red line.
“When former officials publicly criticize the party, it’s taken very seriously,” said Jeremy Daum, a senior fellow at Yale Law School’s China Center. “The response is often uncompromising.”
Escalating Pressure Abroad
After Li spoke out publicly, Chinese authorities accused him of corruption involving more than $400 million — charges he strongly denies. AP’s review of court documents and legal records found inconsistencies in the case, including restricted access to evidence and pressure on defense lawyers.
Li says Chinese agents or intermediaries followed him in the U.S., attempted to infiltrate dissident groups, and even sought to interfere with his asylum case. In 2021, Interpol briefly issued a Red Notice at China’s request before withdrawing it following a complaint.
The FBI later informed Li that he may have been targeted by an unregistered foreign agent. While U.S. officials declined to comment on specifics, federal authorities have said harassment of individuals exercising their rights in the U.S. is unacceptable.
An Uncertain Future
Li now lives quietly within a Christian community in West Texas, moving cautiously and limiting contact with others. His asylum application remains stalled as U.S. immigration policies shift. If returned to China, he could face life imprisonment.
Despite the risks, Li continues to speak publicly, now using online platforms to tell his story.
“Today it’s me,” he said. “Tomorrow, it could be anyone who dares to speak.”
His experience, human rights advocates warn, illustrates how modern surveillance has transformed state power — allowing governments not only to monitor their citizens, but to pursue them far beyond national borders.
