A New York man faces a sentence of five years in federal prison after pleading guilty in connection with a "Chinese police station" in Manhattan used to intimidate and harass Chinese residents critical of communist rule.

Prosecutors say Chen Jinping and his co-defendent Lu Jianwang opened and operated the station in Manhattan's Chinatown neighbourhood in early 2022 on behalf of China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS).

Chen Jinping used the office in Lower Manhattan to quash dissent against the Chinese government. The Justice Department is fighting Beijing’s efforts to wield its influence secretly.