Jackie Deal - Is China Infiltrating American Politics?

Foreign Policy Research Institute senior fellow Jackie Deal joins Lars to discuss a nonprofit accused of ties to the Chinese Communist Party that continues placing interns in political offices. How deep does China’s influence reach inside American government? 

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SPEAKER_00 0:05

Hey, welcome back to the Lars Larson Show on this Wednesday. So, how deep has the Chinese Communist Party managed to worm its way into American politics? I wanted to talk to Jackie Deal about that, senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. Jackie, welcome to the program.

SPEAKER_01 0:23

Thanks for having me, Lars.

SPEAKER_00 0:24

I thought maybe we got rid of this back when uh Fang Fang became so, you know, famous or infamous for her illicit relationship with member of Congress Eric Squalwell, member of the Democrat Party. But apparently the same organization she was working with is still placing interns in political offices. Is that the way I understand it?

SPEAKER_01 0:46

Yes, it is. This is an important issue. And as you suggest, it's kind of some unfinished business from a decade ago. It turns out that uh what was going on, you know, maybe 10 years ago when Feng Feng, who was alleged to have been a Ministry of State Security for Chinese intelligence operative on the ground in the U.S., she was alleged to have been seducan politicians, rising stars like then Representative Eric Swalwell and some Midwestern mayors and then candidate for Congress, uh Roe Khanna. She was volunteering for campaigns, uh helping them with fundraising and placing interns in their offices, using her position within a group called Asian Pacific Americans or Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs. She was her university's chapter uh leader or representative, and that group was getting students to go to work in uh members' offices and politicians' offices. And she ended up leaving the United States when she was under investigation uh by the FBI, but the organization continues to exist and to place interns. And the report that came out today in the New York Post was troubling because this organization was quoted in the article uh saying that no one senior at the organization, no leader of APAPA as it's known, um knew or could confirm that Feng Feng had an official position there. And the reason that that's troubling is it's inconsistent with what they said when the story of Feng Feng first broke in 2020.

SPEAKER_00 2:28

At that time, they said back then. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:31

Yeah, at that time they said uh actually Henry Yin, who was the regional chapter head where Feng Feng was based back then and is now the national chair, uh, he was quoted in the story that um reported on the Feng Feng um investigation as saying that he remembered her and that she was very active. His quote was he remembered her and she was, quote, very active. And now APAPA, of which Henry Yin is the national chair, is saying no one in its national leadership can vouch for her or or attest that she was ever um holding a position. And and so that's confusing or inconsistent, I think, uh, and potentially troubling. Uh Henry Yin is also an advisor to Roe Khanna, at least insofar as from California, yeah. Yes, he's the ranking member or the Democratic leader of the select committee on the competition with the Chinese Communist Party, the China Select Committee of the House of Representatives, in addition to his other roles. Um he should be very well versed in these kinds of issues of uh dealing with what we call the Chinese Communist Party's united front.

SPEAKER_00 3:41

So how is it legal for these organizations at all to be operating in the United States and placing people inside of congressional offices? That sounds like that would constitute the kind of political activity that we don't allow uh foreign nationals or foreign countries to engage in. Or do, or do we? Am I wrong about that?

SPEAKER_01 4:02

Well, uh the key here is you know, the group is called Asian Pacific American Public Affairs. The group is uh an American group. It it claims to represent the interests of Chinese and other Asian Pacific Islander Americans. The issue, though, is when their activities seem to overlap with or echo Chinese Communist Party propaganda talking points, when senior leaders seem to be liaising frequently with the Chinese consulate, or as I mentioned, the United Front apparatus, which is the party's the Chinese Communist Party's way of handling trying to co-opt or seduce or neutralize uh non-party members, not just at home in China, but abroad. And there is this vast United Front apparatus all over the world, including in the United States. And Henry Yin, who uh I mentioned is uh uh apparently a senior advisor or or purports to be a senior advisor to Rokana, or at least Kana said he was an advisor. I think in today's New York Post article, Representative Khanna disavowed that. Um button.

SPEAKER_00 5:10

Hold on, disavowed that he is or disavowed that he was, because there's a big difference.

SPEAKER_01 5:17

He said that he's uh a kind of resident of his district and has informally um spoken to him but doesn't hold an official position, I think was his representation in today's piece. Um but the issue is I documented just looking at Chinese media 10 instances of Henry Yin's uh liaising with the Chinese Communist Party's United Front apparatus or cutouts, organizations affiliated with the United Front Work Department of the Party just in a decade. And so that's the kind of thing where you know, if you have somebody who's um representing the United States or or representing themselves as an American political activist or operative volunteer, but then also frequently in touch with the CCP, it's maybe it's in a seam where it's you know difficult for us to um legally pinpoint. It's a gray area, but it it definitely seems troubling. Uh I've testified in state houses and in legislatures where I've come across other people who, again, are representing themselves as American, but are reading off their phones talking points from the Chinese consulate or embassy. And you know, that's a that's a gap potentially in our in our regulations.

SPEAKER_00 6:36

I'm talking to Jackie Deal, who's a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. That's the thing that concerns me. You got FARA, you know, FARA, the uh Foreign Agent Registration Act. We're real tough on our own citizens saying if you want to represent a foreign government, you know, two members of our Congress, you're gonna have to register and let us know who's doing this and who you represent. But all of a sudden, if you get f foreign nationals like Chinese nationals who are represented in these groups, they don't have to register like that at all. That is Jackie Deal. Jackie, thank you very much. I appreciate you coming on the program. By the way, there is a free report that you need to get your hands on, and it's called the Secret War on Cash. This report explores financial trends that could affect your savings, your buying power, and the way you use your money in the years ahead. Most Americans won't recognize those changes until you're already being affected by it in your everyday lives. And that's exactly why Swiss America created the report, The Secret War on Cash. For more than 40 years, Swiss America has helped Americans understand the forces shaping our economy and their financial future. They believe this information in the report is too important to ignore. Read it yourself and decide for yourself. But don't wait. Call or text 800-289-2646 or visit SwissAmerica.com slash Lars and ask for your free copy of the report today. Again, call or text 800-289-2646 or visit Swiss America.com slash Lars. Don't wait. Request your free copy of the Secret War on Cash and do it today. Tell them Lars sent you. Message and data rates may apply. That's 800-289-2646 or Swiss America.com slash Lars.