Federal prosecutors said Thursday that a campaign manager from Southern California was arrested by the FBI and charged with operating as an illegal agent of a foreign power for allegedly influencing U.S. politics on behalf of the Chinese government.
In relation to the claim that he conspired with John Chen, 71, who was given a 20-month jail sentence last month for operating as an agent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Yaoning “Mike” Sun, 64, was scheduled to appear in federal court later Thursday afternoon. According to an affidavit in the case, Sun and Chen—whom prosecutors have also named as Chen Jun—collaborated to elect a city council member in Southern California in 2022.
Federal prosecutors claim that Sun, a Chino Hills resident who was formerly in the Chinese army, communicated with Chen regarding the attempts to elect that unidentified lawmaker. Chen discussed with Chinese government officials how the PRC may influence U.S. lawmakers, with a focus on Chinese-Taiwanese ties.
Prosecutors claim that Chen instructed Sun to produce a report for PRC officials detailing their efforts to support the successful election in early 2023, just months after the California lawmaker was elected. Sun allegedly suggested that the Chinese government provide them a budget of $80,000 to support their efforts.
According to federal prosecutors, Chen instructed Sun to arrange a meeting with the Chinese consul general in Los Angeles, and the two traveled to China together in August 2023.
In a statement announcing Sun’s arrest Thursday, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Martin Estrada said, “The conduct alleged in this complaint is deeply concerning. The defendant is charged with acting on behalf of the People’s Republic of China to influence our political system.” “We cannot permit hostile foreign powers to meddle in the governance of our country.”
According to a report released last month by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, tensions between China and Taiwan have escalated in recent months since Lai Chingte, who is considered a “separatist” by the Chinese Community Party, was elected president of Taiwan earlier this year. The tensions stem from the Taiwanese independence movement.
The Taiwanese American Conference states that the Taiwanese community in Southern California retains strong political ties, calling Los Angeles “the birthplace of many iconic Taiwanese-American associations.”
The Congressional Research Service of the federal government claims that U.S. policy has backed Taiwan’s attempts to prevent Beijing from assuming authority through force. The U.S. Department of Defense published a study earlier this month claiming that the Chinese government is still acquiring more nuclear weapons and aiding American enemies like Russia.
The Chinese Community Party has increased its military presence throughout the archipelago, issued new guidelines for punishing “separatists,” and increased harassment of Taiwanese visitors to mainland China, according to a recent report by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.
Prosecutors claim that an image from a YouTube video depicts Chen using a megaphone at a pro-Taiwan demonstration in Los Angeles, warning demonstrators: “If you have a Chinese passport, and I take your photo now, you will be arrested when you return to China,” according to the affidavit outlining the accusations against Sun and Chen. If you hold a U.S. passport, you won’t be able to obtain a Chinese visa.”
In outlining the allegations involving Sun, the affidavit states Chen once wrote to a Chinese government official: “Mr. Sun has been my helping hand in the Chinese community since 1997.” The following day, Chen told that same official he will support the politician in Southern California to do their “job as Chinese American elected official well, go against Taiwanese independence…”
In another instance, Chen critiqued a report drafted by Sun and told him to add information about the pair’s “past struggle fighting Taiwanese independence forces” over the years in a city in California, the affidavit states. In a later message, according to the court filings, Chen instructed Sun to come up with a list of mainstream U.S. politicians who the California politician knows.
He allegedly told Sun in an audio message, “the more the better, the higher position the better,” of the list of politicians, and said that it would be “very effective” in elevating the California politician’s “status in China.”
Chen was sentenced to prison last month after pleading guilty to federal charges of acting as an unregistered agent of the People’s Republic of China and bribing an IRS agent.
Chinese-Taiwanese tensions have been prevalent in southern California; two years ago, Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes described a fatal shooting inside a Taiwanese Presbyterian church in Laguna Woods as a “politically motivated hate incident,” according to the Los Angeles Times. The suspected gunman later faceddozens of federal hate crime charges.
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