In a troubling case that underscores growing concerns over Chinese government influence on American politics, US authorities have arrested Yaoning “Mike” Sun, a 64-year-old Chinese national, on charges that he acted as an illegal agent for Beijing while serving as a campaign manager for a Los Angeles-area politician in 2022. The arrest sheds light on what prosecutors allege is a network of Chinese operatives working to sway US politicians and advance China’s interests.
Covert Campaign Involvement
According to the federal complaint, Sun worked for the Chinese government while attempting to get an unnamed southern California politician elected to city council in the 2022 elections. Prosecutors accuse Sun of conspiring with another Chinese man, Chen Jun, who was recently sentenced to 20 months for illegally acting as a Chinese agent himself.
The affidavit alleges that Sun and Chen communicated extensively during the campaign about Sun’s efforts to help the local politician win the city council seat. Shortly after the November 2022 vote, Chen instructed Sun to prepare a report on the election that was then sent to Chinese government officials.
Disturbing Pattern Emerges
Over the course of 2022 and 2023, Sun and Chen repeatedly referred to the city council candidate as part of their “basic team dedicated for us” in communications with each other and Chinese officials. They described the politician as a “new political star” and requested funds to support additional pro-Beijing activities in America.
“This is another example of a very disturbing trend: the People’s Republic of China is seeking to influence foreign and domestic policy in the United States.”
– Martin Estrada, US Attorney for Central District of California
Prosecutors say Chen was in “active communication” with Chinese government officials regarding US politicians they could potentially influence, particularly on issues related to Taiwan. The two men worked closely together, discussing arranging meetings between the politician and top Chinese diplomats and planning the politician’s travel to China.
Growing Concerns Over Chinese Influence Operations
This case follows a similar one in September, when an ex-aide to New York governors Kathy Hochul and Andrew Cuomo was accused of subtly pushing Beijing’s agenda in exchange for millions in financial benefits while acting as an unregistered Chinese agent. Together, these cases paint an alarming picture of China’s covert attempts to shape US policy by infiltrating local politics.
While China denies any interference in other countries’ internal affairs, US officials see an unmistakable pattern of Chinese operatives targeting politicians friendly to Beijing’s foreign policy goals. As tensions between the two superpowers continue to simmer, rooting out clandestine influence campaigns has become a top counterintelligence priority.
The arrest of Yaoning Sun and details of his alleged collaboration with Chinese authorities to sway a California election outcome marks another unsettling data point in this wider geopolitical struggle playing out on American soil. As more of these cases come to light, the full scope of China’s political interference efforts – and the urgency to combat them – grows increasingly apparent.
