California Mayor to Plead Guilty to Acting as Chinese Propaganda Agent

In a significant development shaking the foundations of local governance in the Los Angeles area, Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges of acting as an unregistered foreign agent for China. U.S. officials announced Monday that Wang, 58, was accused of spreading propaganda on behalf of Beijing.

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Individuals in our country who covertly do the bidding of foreign governments undermine our democracy.

Within hours of the case becoming public, Wang resigned from her positions as mayor and city council member. The plea agreement details her admission to promoting content favorable to China, allegedly under the direction of Chinese government officials, from late 2020 through 2022. This included efforts to disseminate pro-China narratives via a website known as "U.S. News Center," which purported to be a local news source but served as a mouthpiece for the Chinese government.

The charges highlight a concerning pattern of foreign influence operations targeting local communities. Wang's activities reportedly included posting articles that contested reports of human rights abuses against Uyghurs in China's Xinjiang region. Her interactions with Chinese government officials, including a response of "Thank you leader" to a complimentary message, underscore the nature of her alleged subservience.

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Thank you leader

This case also sheds light on the alleged involvement of other individuals, such as Yaoning "Mike" Sun, who previously pleaded guilty to similar charges, and John Chen, a figure described as a high-level member of China's intelligence apparatus. Wang's attorneys have issued an apology on her behalf, stating she is "sorry for the mistakes she has made in her personal life." The legal proceedings are ongoing, with a future hearing scheduled for her formal plea.

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apologizes and is sorry for the mistakes she has made in her personal life.