A California mayor pleaded guilty to acting as an agent for China. Foreign policy experts aren't surprised

"Eileen Wang, 58, agreed to plead guilty to a felony count related to the charge on Monday and could face up to 10 years in federal prison. According to a plea agreement filed by the justice department, Wang and an associate worked with the People’s Republic of China to promote Beijing's interests, touting pro-PRC propaganda on a website purported to be a news source for the local Chinese American community."

"The revelation sent shockwaves through the city of Arcadia, which is often referred to as the Chinese Beverly Hills due to its large and affluent Chinese American population. Of the city's 56,000 residents, roughly half are of Chinese descent. Wang resigned her post last week after serving on the city council since her election in 2022; city councillors in Arcadia rotate into the mayoral seat, and Wang was mayor when she resigned."

"City officials have called the charges deeply troubling, and urged Arcadia to move forward and not let one woman's actions define our community. Joshua Kurlantzick, a senior fellow for Southeast Asia and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, said China's efforts to exert influence beyond its borders have become very, very, very common."

"Beijing has an entire agency dedicated to meddling in foreign governments that often works with diaspora communities, with a goal to shift narratives, reduce dissent and gain control of political discourse in other countries. China is interested in having influence over politicians from a whole range of [countries] ranging from the local to the national level, as well as the media, as well as student groups there's an enormous effort to do so, Kurlantzick said."

A southern California mayor resigned after agreeing to plead guilty to acting as an illegal foreign agent for Beijing. The plea agreement states that she and an associate worked with the People’s Republic of China to promote Beijing’s interests by touting pro-PRC propaganda on a website presented as a local news source for Chinese American residents. The case has drawn strong reaction in Arcadia, a city with a large and affluent Chinese American population. Foreign policy experts say such influence efforts are increasingly common and often involve an agency dedicated to meddling in foreign governments. The goal is to shift narratives, reduce dissent, and gain control of political discourse across local and national levels, including media and student groups.

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