The influence of the Chinese Communist Party is alive and well in the United States

Political scandals have renewed concerns about Beijing’s foreign campaign. Examples include the loading an unregistered Chinese state agent working as a senior aide to New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) and foreign agents affiliated with an electric vehicle battery company linked to the Chinese Communist Party manufacturing electric vehicle batteries. contributions to Democratic campaigns.

Although it has been presented as such, it is also not a recent problem. In 2018, it emerged that the late Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) had employed an unidentified employee. Chinese agent for almost 20 years at his field office.

These Chinese agents and lobbyists have sought not only to promote China’s interests and improve its image abroad, but have also sought to censor topics that the Chinese Communist Party considers controversial, such as discussions of Taiwan sovereignty and the treatment of Uyghurs, qualified by various governments And organizations like a genocide.

This export of censorship is clearly an attack on one of the most precious principles of American democracy: free speech.

Perhaps even more concerning are the alleged ties between the Chinese Communist Party and Minnesota governor and vice presidential candidate Tim Walz (D), detailed in a recent article. letter and subpoena by the House Oversight Committee.

He is running for the second-highest position in the federal government, one that closely advises the president and often acts as the country’s representative when meeting with foreign dignitaries. This comes after his fake complaints about his whereabouts during the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre and his sympathetic statements about Chinese communism.

The Chinese government continues to harass and repress dissidents, many of whom are American citizens, and lead espionage operations in their communities. Such operations can use Chinese police stations located in five states.

Beyond politics, the influence of the Chinese government has infiltrated our education system, since primary schools has universities. He has contributed and financed Anti-Jewish fervor on college campuses poses a risk to our critical defense infrastructure and largely fuels the opioid And illegal production of marijuanawhich is closely linked to concerns about human and labor trafficking. And there is much more to this list.

The foreign policy adopted by a given administration will not only influence that authoritarian regime’s actions toward its own citizens, but will also affect the extent to which such foreign infiltration succeeds on American soil.

These examples of continued – and intensified – intrusions using psychological warfare, espionage, election interference and hard money show that the traditional distinction between foreign policy and domestic issues is outdated. Foreign policy has immense potential to shape a country – socially, politically, fiscally and security-wise.

Fortunately, this election cycle, the survey indicates that more American voters are interested in foreign policy than ever before. About four in ten voters now view foreign policy as a top concern, with registered Republicans expressing more interest in the issue than registered Democrats. The same survey reveals that the current percentage of American adults who want the government to focus on foreign policy is up from 18% in 2023.

This increased focus on foreign policy comes at a time when interstate wars are also on the rise, and their fiscal implications are undeniable, as evidenced by the substantial expenses on a seemingly endless war in Ukraine – funds that could be redirected to local communities and disaster relief in the United States in the presence of decisive political leadership. This war also contributes to inflation.

Despite its recent rise, foreign policy is expected to continue to gain traction with voters in the upcoming election – and should not be forgotten. This is an area that deserves consideration among core issues like taxation, education, and substance abuse, as it can impact these topics.

However, the complete influence of the Chinese Communist Party also poses long-term dangers to our democracy. The influence of the Chinese party-state in the United States extends to political and non-political areas of life, affecting citizens’ sense of security in expressing their opinions and citizens’ confidence in elections at all levels of government. Each of these elements corresponds to a different facet of American democracy: freedom of speech and assembly and free and fair elections.

Plans by foreign adversaries to incite political violence, such as through assassination plots, further degrade the fabric of our political system and contribute to societal upheaval.

On the other hand, efforts by the media and some elected officials to smear national conservative groups as threats to democracy are unproductive and serve politically motivated goals. Such incendiary rhetoric overlooks the outsized risk that China and other external actors, such as Iran, pose to the health of American democracy as well as the immediate security of American citizens. China and its similar adversaries will certainly benefit from this type of division.

If the public turns a blind eye to the Chinese government’s actions within our borders and the broader implications of foreign policy for domestic security, who will pay attention? What will happen? The answer to the first question is uncertain while the answer to the second is slightly clearer: the situation is destined to get worse.

Erik Durneika is a graduate teaching assistant in the Department of Political Science at the University of Pittsburgh. He worked for the Uyghur Human Rights Project and was a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the Research and Education Center for Chinese Studies and Cross-Strait Relations at National Taiwan University.

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