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Criminal complaint reveals details of alleged espionage by local Chinese nationals
As the saying goes, all politics is local. Apparently there is also some espionage going on.
Federal prosecutors say Chinese spies are operating in the San Gabriel Valley and trying to influence local political leaders in hopes of cultivating friendly allies for pro-China policies, including opposition to Taiwanese independence. He claims to be trying to give.
A criminal complaint filed in federal court last week accuses two men of illegally acting on behalf of a foreign government or official in a decades-long conspiracy.
The scope of the alleged spy ring is unclear, but the federal indictment and people familiar with the investigation who spoke to a Times reporter said at least one local lawmaker was involved in the case. said.
My colleagues Richard Winton and Hannah Fry reported on Sunday that “the indictment is less the stuff of international spy thrillers and more a window into everyday city politics.” “But experts say this incident sheds light on China’s tactics and how it seeks to increase its influence in the United States.”
What does the indictment say?
The indictment followed the arrest of Yaoning “Mike” Sun, 64, who was charged with acting as an illegal agent of a foreign power and conspiring with another man.
The man, John Chen, was arrested in 2023 and pleaded guilty to being an illegal agent of the Chinese government earlier this year.
When the FBI arrested Chen, it also confiscated his cell phone and, according to the complaint, had “extensive conversations with[Chinese government officials]about his efforts to influence politicians in Southern California.” It turned out that there was.
The complaint cites a 2008 Times article about anti-CNN protests in which Chen is cited as an organizer and a patio furniture manufacturer who lives in Diamond Bar.
“Mr. Chen holds a prestigious position in the Chinese government as a foreign consultant,” the article states.
According to authorities, Mr. Chen’s message also mentioned Mr. Sun, saying that Mr. Chen had been a “supportive figure in Chinese society since 1997.” The complaint says Sun and a local city councilman, identified only as Individual 1 in court records, were members of a “dedicated team for us” assembled by Cheng.
According to the complaint, Mr. Chen sent a message to Mr. Sun saying that the city councilor “has a lot of contact with mainstream politicians.” According to authorities, the main purpose was to turn local political leaders against Taiwan’s independence.
Although not named in the indictment, investigators confirmed to the Times that the person was Arcadia City Councilwoman Eileen Wang.
Arcadia City Councilwoman Eileen Wang at Arcadia City Hall.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Mr. Wang is engaged to Mr. Son, who is said to have served as campaign manager in the 2022 municipal election that he ultimately won.
Wang has not yet been charged, and officials said it was not yet clear whether she was aware of Chen or Sun’s alleged ties to China.
“Long-term battle” at the local level
In movies, international espionage usually occurs at the federal level, where spies attempt to infiltrate the Pentagon, the Kremlin, and other influential institutions.
Most of us would never imagine foreign agents infiltrating City Hall in a municipality with a population of just over 54,000 people.
But the focus on local governments is intended to be a “long game” by Chinese operatives, said Horace Frank, a former Los Angeles police deputy chief who oversaw the counterterrorism bureau.
“They’re not looking for a big bang right away,” he told Richard and Hannah. “They’re going to build it from the ground up.”
This is part of a pattern, Frank explained, adding that individuals with ties to China have been known to offer funding for local projects to smaller cities in order to spark friendly relations. .
China believes that “U.S. state and local leaders enjoy a degree of independence from Washington, and Beijing may seek to use them as proxies to defend U.S. national policies that it desires.” “We understand that there is,” the National Counterintelligence and Security Center said in a 2022 bulletin sent to local officials across the country. .
How wide is China’s spy network?
Federal authorities are unaware, but note that the plot is not limited to the San Gabriel Valley.
Chen’s phone messages also mention a former Los Angeles County supervisor who Chen said was “friendly to China.” He sent the politician’s name and photo to a contact in China, but he was not named in the complaint.
Government officials responded a few days later: “Personally, I agree that you can go from your predecessor to the current (supervisor), so internally we have a preliminary plan to interact with the county’s former supervisors. We’re going to fund it, but we’re not.” You can eat a lot at once, so it’s enough for meals and meetings. ”
As Richard and Hannah pointed out, similar incidents have made national headlines in recent years.
“Last year, the House Ethics Committee concluded a two-year investigation into allegations that Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Dublin) had an affair with Christine Huang, a suspected Chinese spy who volunteered for Congressional work. has ended.”
You can read more about Hannah and Richard’s report here.
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