TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Taiwanese researcher addressed lawmakers in Wisconsin this week to shed light on the threat presented by China’s United Front Work Department.
Cheryl Yu (余雪莉), representing the Jamestown Foundation, explained to agricultural committee legislators how China’s fusion of civil and military assets operates abroad using private companies. Yu, along with other speakers, urged lawmakers to pass a bill under consideration to bar China and Chinese actors from purchasing real estate in Wisconsin, reported RTI.
Using reports from CIA analyst Peter Mattis, the briefing examined how the Chinese Communist Party is infiltrating critical sectors of the US, using “united front” tactics. Chinese logistics firms SF Express and Tian An Express, which operate in the state, were identified as potential risks for infiltration due to their collaboration with the United Front Work Department.
It is routinely used to gather intelligence from foreign countries, using Chinese businessmen or students to help conduct operations. It is also responsible for conducting influence campaigns to influence China’s image among the public in foreign countries.
Yu urged vigilance among state lawmakers to safeguard critical infrastructure. She called the current threats posed by China to the US “urgent but preventable.”
The “united front” is a political strategy and a network of organizations led by the United Front Work Department to build influence domestically and internationally and advance the CCP's objectives.
