Former California Mayor Acts as Chinese Agent, US Local Political Circles Warned of CCP Infiltration
Former Arcadia, California mayor Eileen Wang pleaded guilty to acting as an unregistered agent for the Chinese government, highlighting concerns about Chinese infiltration in local US politics. Taiwanese-American Acting Mayor Paul P. Cheng stressed vigilance.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 13, 2026 at 10:31
- 🔍 Collected: May 13, 2026 at 11:01 (30 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 14, 2026 at 05:01 (17h 59m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Lin Hung-han, Los Angeles, 12th) Former Arcadia, California mayor Eileen Wang pleaded guilty to acting as a Chinese agent, drawing nationwide attention. Taiwanese-American Acting Mayor Paul P. Cheng pointed out that foreign influence is omnipresent, and local governments must raise their vigilance. Taiwanese community members stated that the CCP is familiar with the U.S. federal system and local autonomy structure, and has long been laying out its plans in local politics.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced on the 11th that Eileen Wang, 58, accused of illegally acting as an agent for a foreign government in the United States, has agreed to plead guilty and faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Wang Eileen assumed office as Arcadia mayor in February this year. The Arcadia City Council website shows that Wang Eileen resigned from her mayoral position on May 11.
Prosecutors stated that between late 2020 and 2022, Eileen Wang and Yaoning Sun published pro-China propaganda content through the Chinese-language website "American News Center" but failed to legally disclose that some of the content was directed by Chinese government personnel. Prosecutors obtained evidence that Eileen Wang followed instructions from Chinese officials to modify articles and said, "Thank you, leader."
Today, a Central News Agency reporter interviewed Acting Mayor Paul P. Cheng at the Arcadia City Hall. Cheng, a practicing lawyer, was born in Taiwan, moved to the United States with his family in his childhood, was elected city councilor in 2020, and served as mayor from 2022 to 2023.
Cheng said that the information he currently possesses is the same as what is publicly known, which is that Eileen Wang admitted to the relevant accusations, and the actions involved occurred before she entered the city council in 2022. He said that the city government will "continue to do what it has always been doing" to serve its residents.
Prosecutors stated in the press release that secretly acting for a foreign government undermines American democracy.
Regarding the impact of the case on trust in local government, Cheng said that public transparency and people's trust in government are crucial, and such cases "will definitely affect how people view locally elected officials." He said the case reminds elected officials to be more cautious about whom they cooperate and interact with.
Cheng stated that such cases remind everyone that "wherever we go, there will be foreign influence." He said elected officials must be careful, but residents should also remember that the United States is the best country in the world, and voters should elect public officials who put the United States first.
In recent years, the U.S. Department of Justice has repeatedly investigated cases of Chinese infiltration, including the case involving Eileen Wang's co-conspirator Yaoning Sun, and the case of Linda Sun, a former senior aide in the New York Governor's office, covering levels from local politics to the state government system.
Wu Chao-feng, Vice President of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) Los Angeles Chapter, told the Central News Agency that the CCP is familiar with the U.S. federal system and local autonomy structure, understanding that local governments have substantial influence in the U.S. political system, and therefore has long been engaging and winning over local elected officials through various means.
He pointed out that the seriousness of Eileen Wang's case lies in the fact that if elected officials exploit the trust bestowed by voters to serve a foreign government, it constitutes an abuse of public trust and harms the American democratic system.
He stated that the U.S. guarantees freedom of speech, but freedom of speech includes responsibility for one's own statements; no one may perform tasks for a foreign government without legally registering as a foreign agent.
Wu Chao-feng said that laws related to foreign agents do not only apply after one becomes an elected official, but must be observed by anyone within the United States. He believes that such cases will not be the first, nor will they be the last, and more related cases may be uncovered by judicial authorities in the future. (Editor: Chen Cheng-kung) 1150513
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(Central News Agency reporter Lin Hung-han, Los Angeles, 12th) Former Arcadia, California mayor Eileen Wang pleaded guilty to acting as a Chinese agent, drawing nationwide attention. Taiwanese-American Acting Mayor Paul P. Cheng pointed out that foreign influence is omnipresent, and local governments must raise their vigilance. Taiwanese community members stated that the CCP is familiar with the U.S. federal system and local autonomy structure, and has long been laying out its plans in local politics.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced on the 11th that Eileen Wang, 58, accused of illegally acting as an agent for a foreign government in the United States, has agreed to plead guilty and faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Wang Eileen assumed office as Arcadia mayor in February this year. The Arcadia City Council website shows that Wang Eileen resigned from her mayoral position on May 11.
Prosecutors stated that between late 2020 and 2022, Eileen Wang and Yaoning Sun published pro-China propaganda content through the Chinese-language website "American News Center" but failed to legally disclose that some of the content was directed by Chinese government personnel. Prosecutors obtained evidence that Eileen Wang followed instructions from Chinese officials to modify articles and said, "Thank you, leader."
Today, a Central News Agency reporter interviewed Acting Mayor Paul P. Cheng at the Arcadia City Hall. Cheng, a practicing lawyer, was born in Taiwan, moved to the United States with his family in his childhood, was elected city councilor in 2020, and served as mayor from 2022 to 2023.
Cheng said that the information he currently possesses is the same as what is publicly known, which is that Eileen Wang admitted to the relevant accusations, and the actions involved occurred before she entered the city council in 2022. He said that the city government will "continue to do what it has always been doing" to serve its residents.
Prosecutors stated in the press release that secretly acting for a foreign government undermines American democracy.
Regarding the impact of the case on trust in local government, Cheng said that public transparency and people's trust in government are crucial, and such cases "will definitely affect how people view locally elected officials." He said the case reminds elected officials to be more cautious about whom they cooperate and interact with.
Cheng stated that such cases remind everyone that "wherever we go, there will be foreign influence." He said elected officials must be careful, but residents should also remember that the United States is the best country in the world, and voters should elect public officials who put the United States first.
In recent years, the U.S. Department of Justice has repeatedly investigated cases of Chinese infiltration, including the case involving Eileen Wang's co-conspirator Yaoning Sun, and the case of Linda Sun, a former senior aide in the New York Governor's office, covering levels from local politics to the state government system.
Wu Chao-feng, Vice President of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) Los Angeles Chapter, told the Central News Agency that the CCP is familiar with the U.S. federal system and local autonomy structure, understanding that local governments have substantial influence in the U.S. political system, and therefore has long been engaging and winning over local elected officials through various means.
He pointed out that the seriousness of Eileen Wang's case lies in the fact that if elected officials exploit the trust bestowed by voters to serve a foreign government, it constitutes an abuse of public trust and harms the American democratic system.
He stated that the U.S. guarantees freedom of speech, but freedom of speech includes responsibility for one's own statements; no one may perform tasks for a foreign government without legally registering as a foreign agent.
Wu Chao-feng said that laws related to foreign agents do not only apply after one becomes an elected official, but must be observed by anyone within the United States. He believes that such cases will not be the first, nor will they be the last, and more related cases may be uncovered by judicial authorities in the future. (Editor: Chen Cheng-kung) 1150513
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "Firsthand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.