The Chinese government is suspected of using Chino Hills individuals to advance policies favorable to the People’s Republic of China in local Southern California local governments, according to a criminal complaint released Thursday.
Yaoning “Mike” Sun, 64, is acting as an illegal agent for a foreign power and plans to target U.S.-based Falun Gong practitioners, a spiritual practice banned in China. He was charged with conspiring with another man, John Chen. Last month, Chen was sentenced to 20 months in prison for acting as an unregistered agent of the People’s Republic of China and bribing an Internal Revenue Service official.
Mr. Sun, who is Chinese, was the campaign manager and business partner of a Southern California politician, identified in court records only as Individual 1. The politician was running for local elections in 2022.
Prosecutors allege that during the election campaign, Mr. Son informed Mr. Chen of his efforts to elect the politician to the city council. According to the complaint, Chen asked Chinese government officials how they could influence local-level U.S. politicians, particularly in opposing Taiwanese independence. He reportedly gave information about the situation.
US attorney. Martin Estrada called the incident “another example of the Chinese government’s very worrying trend” of trying to influence U.S. foreign and domestic policy. China is taking a broad approach, including connecting with local government officials who may not yet be on the national stage, he said.
Estrada said the plan’s purpose is to reduce “support for Falun Gong and…China’s democracy movement in our country.”
The scope of the efforts and whether they led to concrete actions favorable to China are unclear.
But the latest charges come as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House, amid worsening U.S.-China relations and a trade war looming.
There are increasing signs that China is trying to influence state and local governments. In 2022, federal authorities say the Chinese are collecting personal information about state and local leaders and putting potential candidates for high office on trial, according to documents obtained by The Wall Street Journal. A warning notice was issued.
Earlier this year, federal authorities indicted a woman who served as a senior aide to two New York state governors as a Chinese agent involved in promoting their administration’s policies. Prosecutors alleged that Linda Sun’s actions included blocking representatives of the Taiwanese government from entering and exiting the Governor-General’s Office.
Yaoning Sun was arrested on Thursday morning. If convicted on all charges, he could face up to 15 years in federal prison, prosecutors said. Neither he nor Chen could be reached for comment.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to release the name of the local councilman, identified in the records as Individual 1. Two sources familiar with the investigation identified the person as Arcadia City Councilwoman Eileen Wang.
It is unclear whether Mr. Wang was aware of Mr. Sun’s or Mr. Chen’s alleged ties to Chinese government officials. Prosecutors have not charged the politician with any crime. They said an investigation is ongoing. One source, speaking on condition of anonymity, stressed that authorities have no evidence that Wang knew about the alleged activities.
Mr. Wang could not be reached for comment.
According to prosecutors, in November 2022, shortly after Individual 1 was elected to public office, Mr. Chen asked Mr. Sun to prepare a report on the election to be sent to Chinese government officials, and the newly elected He called the city council member a “new political star.”
Mr. Chen also instructed Mr. Sun to compile a list of mainstream American politicians who are close friends with Individual 1, noting that “the more, the better, and the higher the status, the better.” The criminal complaint says Chen said the list was “very effective in enhancing the status of (elected officials) in China.”
In early January 2023, Mr. Chen contacted Chinese government officials and said, “We oppose Taiwan’s independence and support[him/her]to do a good job as a Chinese-American elected official.” ” he told members of Congress. ..I will document (my) actions and report them to China. ” The Chinese official reportedly responded, “That’s great!”
In late January, city councilors sent Mr. Chen a letter of appreciation for his attendance at a Lunar New Year event. Mr. Chen responded by praising the politician’s work.
“You are doing a good job. I hope you will continue to do good work and make the Chinese people proud,” he wrote, according to the complaint.
In a report drafted by Sun and Chen for Chinese government officials in February 2023, the men also said they would train local residents and train 100 people to perform in red uniforms on floats and at national rallies. He asked for $80,000 to go to Washington, D.C., to organize a drum band of his size. July 4th Independence Day Parade.
According to the complaint, the men noted in their report that the Taiwanese flag and Falun Gong, which they called a “false flag,” were featured in the U.S. parade.
It is unclear whether the men received the requested funds.
Chen was indicted in a separate case in New York in June 2023, with prosecutors alleging that he was working at the direction of the People’s Republic of China to step up a campaign against Falun Gong practitioners in the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the Chinese government views Falun Gong as a threat to continued Communist Party rule.
According to the complaint, prosecutors allege that while in custody, Chen told his cellmate that he was a Chinese spy working for an agency “100 times better than the FBI.”
Rebecca Ellis contributed to this report.
