From Universities to Government Buildings: The United Front Network and the Risks to America, with the Case of Los Angeles at the Center

For years, Western intelligence services have warned, often unheard, about the growing risks posed by the hegemonic and revisionist ambitions of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its leader, Xi Jinping. This prolonged inaction has allowed Beijing to consolidate vast global influence, with the United States now facing increasingly pervasive penetration. The primary tool for this strategy is the United Front Work Department (UFWD). The issue of the UFWD and its risks has recently come back into focus, partly due to the events in Los Angeles.

The Resurgence of the United Front: A "Magic Weapon" for Xi Jinping

The United Front (FU) is not a recent invention. After a period of diminished importance in the 1950s, it regained prominence from the 1990s onward, adapting to the new social and economic dynamics of post-Mao China. With the rise of Xi Jinping, the FU has seen an unprecedented resurgence. In his speech at the 19th National Congress of the CCP in October 2017, President Xi called the United Front's work "an important way to ensure the success of the Party's cause" and a "magic weapon" for realizing "the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." This emphasis led to a significant strengthening of the FU, with the addition of approximately 40,000 new cadres and a major organizational restructuring between 2017 and 2018, culminating in 2021 with the publication of new Regulations that solidify its doctrine.

Organization and Methods: The CCP's Long Arm in the USA

To coordinate its global operations, the CCP employs various state departments, including the United Front Work Department (UFWD), the Central Propaganda Department, the Liaison Department of the People's Liberation Army, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These are supported by state-controlled media and para-governmental organizations, many of which are active in the United States.

The United Front's strategy in the USA manifests through various methods to influence overseas Chinese communities, the American government, and other actors, pushing them to take actions or adopt positions favorable to Beijing. These activities are often clandestine, coercive, or corrupt.

Among the official and semi-official entities guided or funded by the United Front in the United States are:

• Cultural and "Friendship" Associations: Often used as fronts to promote Beijing's agenda and gather intelligence.

• China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification (CPPRC): Directly subordinate to the UFWD, it has 33 branches in the United States (registered as the National Association for China's Peaceful Unification). This group mobilizes the Chinese diaspora to support Beijing's policies, particularly for unification with Taiwan.

• China Association for International Friendly Contact (CAIFC): A front organization of the former General Political Department of the PLA, now under the Central Military Commission. It presents itself as an association for "people-to-people" exchanges but aims to establish ties with foreign political and military figures to promote Chinese objectives. CAIFC has strong links with intelligence services and sponsors trips to China to gather information and influence opinion leaders.

• Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA): With approximately 265 chapters in the USA involving 300,000 Chinese students, CSSAs are key platforms for the United Front. Under the guise of student assistance, they maintain a degree of control over the overseas Chinese student community and can mobilize them, if necessary, to defend China or counter criticism. They are guided by Chinese embassies and consulates (though they often try to hide government ties) and have been involved in suppressing free speech, harassment, and, in at least one instance, industrial espionage.

• Confucius Institutes: Recognized as organs of the United Front, these institutes teach Chinese language and culture but also serve as propaganda tools for Beijing, undermining academic autonomy. Funded by the CCP's Propaganda Department (affiliated with the UFWD) and supervised by diplomatic personnel, they organize events to distort history and promote the CCP's narrative. In recent years, the U.S. has increased scrutiny of these institutes due to concerns about propaganda, censorship, and interference in university decision-making processes.

The "National Intelligence Law" of 2017: Every Citizen a Potential Agent

China's National Intelligence Law of 2017 is crucial for understanding the CCP's infiltration. This law compels all Chinese citizens, private and public companies to actively collaborate with state intelligence services. This obligation further blurs the lines between state and private conduct for these citizens and companies abroad, potentially turning any Chinese entity or individual overseas into an informer or spy. This makes it extremely difficult for the United States to distinguish between legitimate commercial or cultural activities and disguised intelligence operations.

Concrete Cases of United Front Illicit Activities in the USA

U.S. investigations have uncovered a series of illicit operations orchestrated by the United Front and its branches:

• Clandestine Police Stations: One of the most alarming incidents was the discovery of a "Chinese police station" in New York City. Operated by non-profit organizations linked to the FU, such as the America Changle Association, this facility was allegedly used to monitor, intimidate, and even "persuade to return" Chinese dissidents residing in the United States. The FBI conducted raids and arrests, highlighting the CCP's attempt to extend its jurisdiction and repression onto American soil, violating U.S. sovereignty.

• Economic Espionage and Technology Theft: Programs like the "Thousand Talents Program" have been linked to numerous cases of economic espionage and illegal transfer of intellectual property from the United States to China. Researchers and scientists have been prosecuted for concealing their financial ties to the CCP or attempting to steal trade secrets and sensitive technologies from American companies and universities.

• Transnational Repression and Surveillance of Diaspora Communities: United Front organizations are actively involved in transnational repression operations targeting Chinese diaspora communities in the United States, including Uyghurs, Tibetans, Hong Kongers, and Falun Gong practitioners. These activities include surveillance, intimidation, harassment, and even direct threats to family members in China to coerce diaspora members into silence or cooperation. Programs like Fox Hunt and Skynet, officially for anti-corruption, are used to threaten and forcibly repatriate former Chinese citizens deemed political or financial threats. Former FBI Director Christopher Wray publicly denounced these operations, emphasizing how Beijing threatens family members in China to intimidate Chinese students and Chinese Americans who criticize the regime. Between 2014 and February 2022, official data indicates that over 10,105 people, including foreign nationals, were forcibly repatriated to China from over 120 countries, mostly through "irregular methods." In March 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice charged five men with acting as illegal agents for spying on and intimidating individuals in the U.S. in connection with Sky Net-like operations. In March 2022, the State Department also announced visa restrictions on Chinese officials for their alleged involvement in repressive acts against members of ethnic and religious minority groups and religious1 practitioners inside and outside China, including in the United States.

• Political Influence and Covert Interference: The United Front uses undeclared payments and other tactics to manipulate the U.S. political landscape. There have been reported cases where Chinese diplomats or FU-affiliated groups orchestrated protests and counter-protests during visits by Taiwanese leaders to the U.S., sometimes escalating to acts of violence against pro-democracy demonstrators.

The Los Angeles Case: Political Connections and Exploitation of Social Tensions

Los Angeles serves as an emblematic example of how the United Front can operate on multiple levels to extend its influence.

1. Exploitation of Civil Unrest: Social tensions in the city have raised concerns about possible United Front involvement in exploiting domestic unrest in the United States, amplifying dissent through indirect funding of groups aligned with Chinese interests. One example is the alleged involvement of Neville Roy Singham, a pro-Chinese businessman, in funneling millions of dollars through American non-profit organizations to groups that support such protests, like The People's Forum.

2. Local Political Connections: An investigation by the Daily Caller News Foundation also uncovered a potentially more direct channel of influence within the Los Angeles administration. It was revealed that a key official in Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass's office, Adam Ma, is the son of a powerful Chinatown broker and Democratic donor. Ma's father, a significant fundraiser for Bass's mayoral campaign, had previously praised the Chinese Communist Party for creating a "strong China" and is listed as an official of several sections of a Chinese government intelligence and influence service called the United Front Work Department (UFWD). Adam Ma currently holds the roles of the city's Asian American liaison and director of commission appointments, as reported by the City of Los Angeles government website and his LinkedIn profile. This case highlights how the United Front may seek to establish connections and influence local political spheres through family ties and donation networks, to promote CCP interests and acquire sensitive information.

3. Meetings with United Front Organizations: Concerns regarding Mayor Karen Bass's administration extend beyond direct infiltration to external influence strategies. The Mayor's meeting with Lin Songtian, head of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), an association identified as a key United Front tool for influencing U.S. state and local leaders, further reinforces the notion of Beijing's attempts to build relationships and sway local leaders.

U.S. Intelligence Perception: A Political Environment Under Pressure

In 2021, the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) explicitly acknowledged that China "has intensified efforts to shape the political environment in the United States to promote its policy preferences, mold public discourse, pressure political figures2 it views as opposing its interests, and dampen criticism of China on issues such as religious freedom and the suppression of democracy in Hong Kong."

Despite these activities, the IC noted that Beijing "considered, but did not deploy, influence efforts to change the outcome of the U.S. presidential election" in 2020, likely deeming the risks outweighed the benefits. This suggests a calculated strategy, where the CCP carefully weighs the cost-benefit ratio of its more direct operations.

The Illusion of "Engagement" and the Need for Red Lines

The U.S. policy of "engagement" with China, initiated by Mao, Nixon, and Deng, allowed the CCP to "open up" its economy without ever loosening its monopoly on power and ideology. American elites often overlooked this aspect, enabling the CCP to infiltrate the United States to steal intellectual property, gather intelligence, and co-opt influential figures. Under Xi Jinping, these attempts have intensified.

Globalization has not liberalized the Chinese regime; on the contrary, it has enormously developed its economic power without weakening the Party, making it increasingly aggressive. The so-called "Wolf Warrior Diplomacy," evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, is a clear manifestation of this growing assertiveness and often intimidating approach.

The line between legitimate influence (public diplomacy) and illicit influence (clandestine, coercive, and corrupt activities) is thin and blurred. The risks for the United States include national security (the integrity of the political system), the economy (theft of industrial property and control of supply chains), and the violation of civil liberties (persecution of dissidents and ethnic minorities).

It is crucial that U.S. policy responses are based on a methodical assessment of the nature and impact of Beijing's foreign activities. For the United States, it is vital to draw "red lines," identifying all "foreign influence activities that are in some way covert, coercive, or corrupt." Tools like the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938 and the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 are vital for countering these "malign foreign influence campaigns." The ability to effectively identify and counter these tactics will be critical for protecting American sovereignty and national interests.