Former California Mayor Accused of Acting as Chinese Agent by US Authorities

Former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang Pleads Guilty to Acting as Illegal Agent of China

Eileen Wang, the former mayor of Arcadia, California, has admitted to acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government from 2020 to 2022. According to the US Department of Justice, Wang agreed to plead guilty to one count of violating federal law by failing to disclose her activities on behalf of China.

Wang operated a website called the US News Center, which published content supportive of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) while claiming to provide news for Chinese Americans. The website was run in conjunction with Yaoning Sun, a Californian man who was sentenced to four years in prison for similar offenses.

Prosecutors allege that Wang republished an essay written by a PRC official denying allegations of genocide against ethnic-minority Uighurs in Xinjiang. Wang has resigned as mayor and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

Wang’s lawyers have stated that the conduct underlying her plea agreement relates solely to her personal life, including a media platform she operated with someone she believed to be her fiancé. They argue that Wang’s love for the Arcadia community remains unchanged and that she asks for the community’s understanding and continued support.

US Assistant Attorney General John A Eisenberg has expressed concern over Wang’s activities, stating that individuals elected to public office should act only in the best interests of their constituents. The Chinese embassy in Washington, DC, has not commented on the matter.

Source: Al Jazeera