Staff Reports
According to recent records, members of Congress have been making significant campaign payments for over a decade to Sing Tao U.S., a Chinese-owned newspaper that is now registered as a foreign agent by the Department of Justice. Campaign finance disclosures reveal that eight Democratic and Republican politicians have paid a combined total of over $41,500 for advertisements in Sing Tao U.S. between 2011 and 2023. The newspaper, which is a subsidiary of the Hong Kong-based Sing Tao News Corporation, reported itself as a foreign agent in 2021, acknowledging its involvement in “political activity.”
This revelation raises concerns about the growing influence that entities in China have gained in the United States. Sing Tao U.S. operates in New York and California and has ties to a Chinese-based company called Star Production (Shenzhen) Limited. The fact that over half of Sing Tao U.S.’s content is purchased by this Chinese company highlights the need for greater scrutiny of foreign media and their potential impact on American politics.
Congress has paid major campaign cash to score ads in Chinese foreign agent newspaper https://t.co/e9Cufc5YgQ
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) August 7, 2023
The Council on Foreign Relations has described China as having one of the most restrictive media environments in the world, with heavy censorship used to control information. Sing Tao Daily, the Hong Kong affiliate of Sing Tao U.S., has long been known as a pro-Beijing outlet and has reportedly had ties to China’s National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
Among the lawmakers who have paid Sing Tao U.S. for advertising is Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA). Her campaign made payments totaling over $2,800 between 2011 and 2015. Eshoo has claimed that these payments may have been incorrectly listed on the Federal Election Commission website and that her lawyers are investigating the matter. It is important that lawmakers are transparent about their financial ties to foreign agents and ensure that campaign funds are not being used inappropriately.
Another prominent lawmaker who has paid Sing Tao U.S. is Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). Her campaign disbursed $442 in May for “print advertising.” Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign had previously paid Sing Tao U.S. $5,000 between 2020 and 2022 for various purposes, including vaccination ads. This raises concerns about whether American politicians are fully aware of the implications of paying foreign agents for advertising.
It is clear that American politicians should not be supporting Chinese foreign agents through advertising payments. This raises questions about their commitment to countering China’s influence and protecting American interests. To avoid giving the impression of being influenced by Beijing, lawmakers must be more cautious and selective with their campaign spending. The Department of Justice’s efforts to require foreign agents to register and disclose their activities need to be supported and strengthened to ensure transparency and accountability in our political system.
