Post-visa Statements and Activities
Following the granting of protection visas to Chen and his family, he has met with Australian intelligence officials to discuss his earlier claims of a thousand-strong Chinese spy network. On 21 July Chen testified before the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations as part of a panel discussing "Falun Gong and China's Continuing War on Human Rights." Here Chen broadened his earlier charges, stating: "I am aware there are over 1,000 Chinese secret agents and informants in Australia, and the number in the United States should not be less." He also testified that "The United States and Australia are considered by the CPC as the base of the Falun Gong overseas" and that "Chinese diplomats are required to denounce the Falun Gong and to distribute anti-Falun Gong materials whenever it is possible."
On 31 July, Chen attended a public seminar hosted by the Victorian Federation of Chinese Associations without invitation. There he defended and repeated his earlier spying allegations, and went on to claim that the VFCA was "controlled by the Chinese Consulate in Melbourne". The vice president of the federation, Sheng Wang, denied these claims and accused Chen of damaging the reputation of all Chinese Australians as well as undermining relations between China and Australia.
On 5 August, Chen was invited to a seminar at the University of Melbourne.
On 16 August, Chen accused the Chinese government of sending a three-member assassination squad into Australia, claiming he was alerted to their presence by a close friend in the foreign ministry. Chen told ABC TV, "they want to shut me up and ... they want to send a warning example to others who want to defect." Foreign Minister Alexander Downer called this "highly improbable."
In late September, Chen contended that the man in charge of China's spy network continued to operate out of the consulate-general in Sydney. As reported by The Bulletin, this individual works independently of the consulate, complete with his own budget. Chen did not name this alleged spymaster.
In October and November, Chen addressed the European Parliament, the Flemish Parliament of Belgium, and the British Parliament on the issue of humans rights in China. The Chinese Mission at the European Parliament sent three diplomats and three official media reporters to hear Chen's testimony at the European Parliament. While Chen was addressing to the British All Party Parliamentary Group on Human Rights at the Palace of Westminster, President Hu Jintao was visiting Westminster. Prime Minister Tony Blair was forced to raise the human rights issue with Hu under the pressure of overwhelming media attention.
On 30 March 2006, Chen joined more than 4000 signatories in an open letter to Australian Prime Minister John Howard to question Premier Wen Jiabao regarding the persecution against human rights lawyers in China by the Chinese Authorities and concern about allegations of live organ harvesting at the Shenyang Thrombosis Hospital despite official Chinese denials.
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