Source: Fox News
Summary
China’s influence in the United States has come under scrutiny following President Donald Trump’s allegations of Chinese interference in American elections. Federal records show that Chinese government entities, state-controlled media organizations, and China-based companies have registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) to disclose operations with political implications in the US. Lobbying Disclosure Act filings also reveal that Chinese entities have spent millions of dollars on lobbying activities in the US. The Chinese government has dismissed Trump’s allegations as “entirely fabricated” and threatened countermeasures.
Our Reading
As expected, the matter has reached another stage.
The US government has been monitoring China’s influence operations in the country, including the activities of state-run media outlets and lobbying efforts by Chinese companies. The Chinese government has been accused of using these operations to shape US policy, public opinion, and commercial decisions. The true extent of China’s influence in the US is unknown, but available evidence suggests a broad, multi-front effort to shape how Americans live and think.
China’s state-run media apparatus is a key lever of influence, with five Chinese media operations registered as active foreign agents in the US. These outlets have been accused of promoting Beijing’s interests and portraying America as “poorly governed, plutocratic, racist and a destabilizing international influence.” Chinese companies have also spent millions of dollars on lobbying expenses in the US, with some accused of abusing the Lobbying Disclosure Act to avoid filing under FARA.
China’s influence operations in the US have been linked to the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front Work Department, a global network of CCP loyalists that work to advance Beijing’s interests abroad. The US government has warned that some Chinese companies are working on behalf of the Chinese military, and that these companies have spent millions of dollars on lobbying expenses in the US.
Despite the controversy, China has continued to promote its interests in the US, including through trade, tourism, and development initiatives. The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade has received hundreds of thousands of dollars from Beijing to facilitate bilateral trade, investment, and economic cooperation. However, China hawks argue that these operations may serve a dual purpose and advance Chinese economic and geopolitical objectives.
