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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Guardian staff and agency

Chinese man charged with acting as Beijing agent in local California election

Linda Sun Yaoning Mike Sun Beijing California Eileen Wang Martin Estrada China United States
red, white and blue flag on pole next to red flag with yellow stars on pole
The flags of the US and China in Beijing, China, in 2023. Photograph: Mark R Cristino/EPA

A Chinese man was arrested this week on charges of acting as an illegal agent for Beijing while serving as the campaign manager for a Los Angeles-area politician, in a case that highlights rising concerns that the Chinese government has cultivated a network of operatives to influence US politicians and advance their interests.

US authorities on Thursday arrested Yaoning “Mike” Sun, 64, on accusations he worked for the Chinese government while trying to get an unnamed politician elected to a southern California city council.

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