Jury Acquits Chinese-American Community Organizer in Espionage Case
A federal jury in Boston acquitted 65-year-old Litang Liang on Monday, clearing him of charges that he acted as an unregistered agent of China’s government. The verdict comes nearly a year after U.S. authorities accused Liang of providing Chinese officials with information about individuals, dissidents, and community groups in the local Chinese-American community.
Liang, a China-born U.S. citizen, had consistently denied the charges, pleading not guilty. His defense team argued that the case was an overreach by the U.S. government, aimed at intimidating activists who expressed views aligning with Beijing’s stance on Taiwan.
“Justice has finally arrived,” Liang said through a translator following the verdict.
Prosecutors ‘Disappointed’ in Verdict
The case against Liang was part of broader U.S. efforts to counter alleged Chinese government attempts to suppress dissent and exert influence abroad. Prosecutors claimed that between 2018 and 2022, Liang reported on individuals and groups with pro-Taiwan leanings and provided intelligence to Chinese officials.
During closing arguments, Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Kistner told jurors that China’s government sought out Liang because he was already active in Boston’s Chinese-American community and familiar with its members.
U.S. Attorney Leah Foley, whose office prosecuted the case, issued a statement acknowledging the jury’s decision but expressing disappointment with the outcome.
Defense Says Prosecution Targeted Free Speech
Liang’s attorney, Derege Demissie, framed the case as an attack on free speech, arguing that his client was simply an outspoken activist advocating for China’s peaceful reunification with Taiwan.
“This case would have meant nothing if it did not involve China,” Demissie said in his closing argument. “That’s what this is about. And it had the purpose of scaring people, and it achieved that purpose.”
Liang had worked at a hotel and was active in his labor union, as well as in local Chinese-American community organizations. In 2018, after a trip to Beijing, he founded the New England Alliance for the Peaceful Unification of China, a group that promoted Beijing’s stance on Taiwan.
Prosecutors alleged that Liang acted at the direction of Chinese officials by organizing a counter-demonstration against pro-democracy protesters in 2019. In 2022, they said he provided information about potential recruits to a Chinese agency investigating political dissenters.
Despite the allegations, the jury sided with the defense, concluding that Liang had not committed a crime.
The case highlights growing tensions between U.S. law enforcement and activists with ties to China, as Washington intensifies its scrutiny of foreign influence operations.
