The father of US Olympic athlete Alysa Liu revealed that he was spied on by Chinese agents.

US Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu and her father Arthur Liu were among the goals of a spy operation ordered by the Chinese government, according to the Ministry of Justice, Liu Major said Wednesday night.

Arthur Liu told the Associated Press that the FBI contacted him last October and warned him about the plan, as if his 16-year-old daughter was preparing for the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February. The father told him that he did not talk to his daughter so as not to scare him or distract him from the competition.

“I thought Alisa was very likely to be part of the Olympic team, and I was really scared,” says Arthur Liu. I said that.

The Ministry of Justice announced on Wednesday allegations against five men accused of acting on behalf of the Chinese government in a series of blatant and far-reaching plans to stalk and harass Chinese dissidents in the United States.

Arthur Liu said that he and his daughter were included in the criminal complaint as “Dissident 3" and “Family Members” respectively.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said he “did not know the details” surrounding the claim, but China “strongly opposes US slander by turning this from thin air into a problem.”

“China will always require Chinese citizens to abide by the laws and regulations of the host country, and will not ask citizens to participate in activities that violate local laws,” Zhao told reporters in a daily briefing on Thursday. “The so-called transnational harassment system was simply invented.”

Liu said she was against China's blackmail by allowing her daughter to compete in the recent Winter Olympics, and won the seventh place in the women's competition.

“Now is four hours. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete at the Olympics. I will not stop them from stopping him, and I will do my best to make safe and willing sacrifices so that he can enjoy the moment.” Arthur Liu said. “I will not let them win, I will stop me, I will not let my opinion be expressed anywhere.”

The father said that while his daughter was competing in China, he agreed to let Alysa Liu compete with the State Department and the US guarantee that it would remain closely protected and safe. They always said that at least two people would escort her.

Arthur Liu said, “They probably threaten us and... It would be threatening to say anything somehow, causing problems and saying things related to political or human rights violations in China.” “I was worried about their safety. The US government protected it well.”

Arthur Liu said that in November, a man claiming to be an official of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee made a call. I asked for my passport number and her daughter's passport number.Arthur Liu refused to provide it and said he would contact the US team.The next day.

“I didn't feel good, I felt something strange was going on.” Arthur Liu said. “In my deal with the United States, they didn't call me by phone to get a copy of my passport. When I realized what I was asking for, I really cut it off.”

The U.S. Department of Commerce was unable to solicit comments immediately.A US figure skating spokesperson postponed a comment to the US team.UU.

Arthur Liu does not remember the direct approach of Matthew Ziburis, who was arrested on Tuesday for conspiracy to commit weekly harassment and the criminal use of identification measures, including the criminal use of identification measures. The jiburis was released on bail of $500,000.

Prosecutors claim that Ziburis was hired to monitor his family and pose as a member of the International Sports Committee, asking for a copy of his passport from Arthur Liu and requesting a copy of Alysa Liu's passport for “confirmation of readiness” for COVID-19 related travel. The complaint says that when Arthur Liu refused, Ziburis threatened to postpone or reject international travel.

Liu Zhong's eldest son said he left China when he was 20 years old as a political refugee because he protested against the Communist government after the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989. Arthur Liu eventually settled in the Bay Area, enrolled in law school, and trained one of the most promising athletes in the United States.

The daughter visited her ancestral home for the first time during the Olympics. Arthur Liu said he was warmly welcomed by Chinese fans and media, who generally regarded Alysa Liu as her own.

However, through a spy investigation, he learned that China was aware of Instagram messages about human rights violations against Uighur minorities that his daughter once posted. During the game, Alysa Liu told her father that a stranger approached her in the cafeteria late one night after the pre-skating event and that the man asked her to follow her to his apartment.

“I acknowledged that my life was like this because I chose to speak against the government in 1989. And I know that the Chinese government is going to reach out for a long time anywhere in the world.” Arthur Liu said. “I will continue to enjoy life and live life the way I want it to be. I will not let this down me and I will not let them succeed.”

(Includes information from AP)

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