Chinese influence operations in the United States continue through official visits, highlighting Beijing’s strategic efforts to bypass Washington during trade tensions. On April 15, 2025, National Review reported that Chinese officials linked to Beijing’s influence operations visited the U.S. amid ongoing trade disputes. The article begins:
A Chinese friendship association flagged by the intelligence community for links to Beijing’s influence operations sent officials to visit the U.S. amid the ongoing trade war, with one of its officials touting General Secretary Xi Jinping’s vision for a new global order during a speech to the U.N. in New York today. President Trump has said he is waiting for Xi to request a call with him to discuss a deal regarding the heavy tariffs the U.S. and China levied upon each other this month. Chinese officials have indicated that they will not make the first move, but Beijing is nonetheless wasting no time in dispatching officials to spread Xi’s message directly to audiences in the U.S., bypassing Washington. On Tuesday afternoon, one leader from that group, the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), appeared at the U.N. headquarters in New York to join the Chinese government’s annual Chinese Language Day celebration there. Read more: [Insert source URL here]
Key Points
- CPAFFC official Qin Guoming promoted Xi Jinping’s “Global Civilization Initiative” during a speech at UN headquarters in New York.
- The initiative seeks to reshape international governance principles in ways that benefit China’s strategic objectives.
- Another CPAFFC official, Vice President Shen Xin, visited California and Florida to meet with “local people from all walks of life.”
- U.S. intelligence has identified CPAFFC as part of China’s united front system conducting influence operations through programs like “sister cities.”
Chinese Influence Operations in the United States: Tactics, Targets, and Trends
Chinese influence operations in the United States have become increasingly multifaceted, blending state-sponsored disinformation with more covert lobbying efforts. A recent campaign targeting Canadian Prime Minister candidate Mark Carney underscores Beijing’s use of social media to manipulate electoral narratives, a tactic that mirrors broader Chinese efforts in the U.S. Meanwhile, legislation introduced in Congress seeks to curb the covert operations of Chinese “police stations” established under the guise of community outreach. The United Front Work Department, a key arm of the Chinese Communist Party, has been reshaping its leadership to more effectively target U.S. organizations and sow division through cultural, religious, and diaspora networks. Simultaneously, Chinese efforts to build influence through elite capture are under scrutiny, with New York fundraisers tied to Mayor Eric Adams currently facing federal investigation. These operations are not limited to political influence; Beijing’s strategy also includes lobbying through technology firms like Huawei, as seen in EU corruption probes that reveal a global pattern of influence peddling. Overall, Chinese operations in the U.S. have shifted from espionage and hacking to more socially manipulative approaches, including exploiting racial tensions to mobilize Asian-American communities in ways that align with CCP goals.
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Disclaimer:
The Global Influence Operations Report (GIOR) employs AI throughout the posting process, including generating summaries of news items, the introduction, key points, and often the “context” section. We recommend verifying all information before use. Additionally, images are AI-generated and intended solely for illustrative purposes. While they represent the events or individuals discussed, they should not be interpreted as real-world photography.
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