Dec. 12, 2020 - Epoch Times
04:39
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| Time | Text |
|---|---|
| An alleged Chinese spy worked closely with the Chinese consulate in San Francisco to build personal ties with a number of US politicians before she abruptly left the United States in 2015. | |
| The spy, named Feng Feng, or Christine Feng, was allegedly working for China's chief intelligence agency. | |
| She targeted both congressional and local-level politicians between 2011 and 2015, according to a recent investigative report by Axios. | |
| The publication conducted the investigation for over a year and spoke with 22 current and former elected U.S. officials, political operatives, and former students who knew Feng personally when she was disguised as a student at California State University, East Bay. | |
| Fong enrolled as a student at California State University East Bay in 2011, where she served as the president of the school's Chinese Students' Association and president of the campus chapter of Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs. | |
| Both groups have long been suspected of operating under the directive of the Chinese Consulate. | |
| The article cited US intelligence officials and one former elected official who revealed that Fung was able to approach political power through campaign fundraising, extensive networking, personal charisma, and romantic or sexual relationships with at least two Midwestern mayors. | |
| She also developed her influence among politicians by attending regional conferences for US mayors. | |
| Among the most significant targets of Feng's efforts was Representative Eric Swalwell, according to Axios. | |
| She helped fundraise for the lawmakers' 2014 re-election campaign and helped place at least one intern in Swalwell's office. | |
| Between 2011 and 2015, Fung successfully built a network with many of the Bay Area's most prominent politicians. | |
| She also volunteered for the unsuccessful 2014 congressional campaign of Representative Ro Khanna, an Indian-American politician. | |
| The investigation also collected evidence from Feng's Facebook posts, such as an event flyer showing Feng helped with fundraising for Representative Tulsi Gabbard in 2013 and photos taken with Representative Judy Chu and then-Representative Mike Honda. | |
| In addition, Feng collected private information about U.S. officials, including their habits, social networks, and rumors about them. | |
| According to US intelligence officials, collecting such unclassified information is also a form of political intelligence and is a key part of what foreign spies would do. | |
| Axios concluded from their investigation into Fung that China really has a large-scale influence campaign targeting US political circles. | |
| The case demonstrates China's strategy of cultivating friendships that may take years or even decades to bear fruit. | |
| The Chinese Communist Party knows that today's mayors and city council members are tomorrow's governors and members of Congress. | |
| Christine Fang is not the type of spy, in the traditional sense, who steals serious information. | |
| She operated during the Obama era, when the United States adopted sweeping appeasement to the CCP. The CCP took advantage of Western countries letting down their guard and conducted a comprehensive infiltration operation, collecting all sorts of information from American society. | |
| Feng's case is typical of the CCP's espionage activities during that time. | |
| Feng came to the attention of federal investigators during their surveillance of another Chinese officer suspected of espionage activities who worked undercover as a diplomat at the Chinese consulate in San Francisco, according to the outlet. | |
| Feng met or spoke with him on numerous occasions, leading US officials to look into Feng's own background and activities. | |
| A certificate of honor was awarded to Fang by the Chinese consulate, praising her for demonstrating outstanding organizational and leadership skills in her work as president of the Chinese Student Association. | |
| Be it the CCP's foreign affairs departments or its consulates in different countries around the world, especially democratic countries, in fact, one of their main functions is to act as the commander-in-chief for the CCP spies in that country. | |
| A few months ago, the U.S. government closed the Chinese consulate in America. | |
| They were targeting the right organization with this move. | |
| Christina Fung abruptly left the United States in 2015 amid the FBI-led investigation. |
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