How Beijing-Linked Groups Donated to N.Y. Politicians

A Newsweek investigation found people with ties to China's influence network gave big to local candidates

- DIDI KIRSTEN TATLOW and JOHN FENG

REP. GRACE MENG OF NEW YORK ONCE DECLARED "President An Quanzhong Day" in her congressional district to honor a China-born businessman's work for his Chinese hometown association in New York. At the time, her campaign took thousands of dollars in donations from An.

Today An and his daughter-a green-card holder and a U.S. citizen, respectively, at the time of their arrests are among seven people facing charges of acting as foreign agents for allegedly colluding with Chinese officials to try to force a U.S. resident back to China against his will.

Another prolific donor to New York politicians was U.S. citizen Lu Jianwang, one of two men arrested for allegedly hosting a clandestine Chinese police station in Manhattan. Meng, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York Governor Kathy Hochul all got thousands of dollars in donations from Lu and his brother.

A months-long Newsweek investigation uncovered donations to leading New York politicians by dozens of U.S.-based community groups and their leaders with close ties to the United Front Work Department or to a wider "united front system" operated globally by the Chinese Communist Party. The department reports directly to the Central Committee of the CCP. The donations stretch back decades; recipients include former New York Senator and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Meng's campaigns received over $270,000 from such groups and their leaders since 2006, Newsweek's review shows.

The groups offer community services and business opportunities for members. But critics say the CCP uses the sprawling system to interfere in host countries by influencing local politicians, acting as a network to carry out "transnational repression" of the party's opponents and serving as a conduit for espionage by China's security services.

None of the associations mentioned in this report responded to Newsweek's requests for comment.