Li

MEMORANDUM

Fengting Li, a native and citizen of China, petitions for review of the Board of Immigration Appeals’ order dismissing his appeal from an immigration judge’s (“IJ”) decision denying his application for asylum and withholding of removal. We have jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C. § 1252 . We review for substantial evidence findings of fact, INS v. Elias-Zacarias, 502 U.S. 478 , 481 n. 1, 112 S.Ct. 812 , 117 L.Ed.2d 38 (1992), and de novo questions of law, Vasquez-Zavala v. Ashcroft, 324 F.3d 1105, 1107 (9th Cir.2003). We deny the petition for review.

Substantial evidence supports the agency’s finding that Li failed to establish the harms he experienced in China and the harms he fears upon return are based on a protected ground. See Dinu v. Ashcroft, 372 F.3d 1041, 1043-45 (9th Cir.2004) (concluding that heavy-handed tactics used by police during an investigation for legitimate purposes was not persecution on account of petitioner’s political opinion). In particular, the record does not compel the conclusion that Li sought to expose corruption that was inextricably intertwined with a government operation. Cf. Grava v. INS, 205 F.3d 1177, 1181 (9th Cir.2000). Accordingly, Li’s…