California Man Charged with Acting as Chinese Agent Tied to Local Politician

Yaoning 'Mike' Sun, accused of illegal foreign influence, served as campaign manager for Arcadia Councilmember Eileen Wang, who is not charged in the case.

• Federal prosecutors allege Yaoning 'Mike' Sun, 64, acted as an illegal agent of the Chinese government to influence local U.S. politics, including the 2022 Arcadia City Council race.
• Sun is accused of collaborating with convicted Chinese agent Chen Jun to advance Beijing's interests, including targeting Falun Gong practitioners and promoting pro-China policies.
• Eileen Wang, identified as 'Individual 1' in court documents, is confirmed as Sun's close associate and campaign manager; she has not been charged and denies involvement in the alleged activities.
• Court filings reveal Sun and Chen communicated with Chinese officials about Wang's election, with plans to develop a network of U.S. politicians aligned with Beijing's agenda.
• The case highlights broader concerns about China's long-term strategy to cultivate influence at local levels of U.S. government, as emphasized by U.S. intelligence and FBI officials.

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The Guardian Times of San Diego Los Angeles Times