A Hong Kong-registered Chinese cargo ship, the Zhenhua 28, operated by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company, faced what experts are calling unreasonable searches and harassment by US law enforcement personnel in Jacksonville, Florida, in July 2023. The incident has sparked concerns about its negative impact on China-US people-to-people exchanges, cultural cooperation, and economic trade ties.
According to an exclusive report by the Global Times, the vessel encountered searches and harassment by the US law enforcement, disrupting its normal operations. The US Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection personnel boarded the ship for inspection upon its arrival at the port. The crew members were subjected to questioning, including inquiries about their affiliation with the Communist Party of China, military service, or government roles. Additionally, biometric information such as faces and fingerprints were collected from the crew.
The source revealed that without providing any explanation or written documentation, the US law enforcement personnel confiscated and detained some crew members’ personal electronic devices. These devices have yet to be returned. This disruptive behavior resulted in the delay of the ship’s planned departure from the US, affecting its subsequent operations and the crew’s routine work and life.
Lü Xiang, an expert on American studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, characterized the US actions as harassment and a violation of privacy. He emphasized that any search operation should be supported by legal documentation. The US law enforcement’s questioning without proper justification suggests a lack of legal basis for criminal charges, indicating that the entire incident was an act of harassment.
Experts contend that the US actions not only disrupted the normal operations of a Chinese enterprise but also violated the privacy of the crew members. The intrusive questioning and confiscation of personal items during the inspection reflect underlying ideological biases, inconsistent with the US’ professed principles of openness and inclusivity. This incident may negatively impact China-US cultural exchanges, people-to-people interactions, and economic trade cooperation.