{"id":1389075,"date":"2022-03-18T20:30:34","date_gmt":"2022-03-19T00:30:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1389075"},"modified":"2022-03-18T20:46:06","modified_gmt":"2022-03-19T00:46:06","slug":"american-elites-have-deep-ties-to-a-new-chinese-spy-chief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/american-elites-have-deep-ties-to-a-new-chinese-spy-chief\/","title":{"rendered":"American Elites Have Deep Ties To A New Chinese Spy Chief"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Famerican-elites-have-deep-ties-to-a-new-chinese-spy-chief%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1389075&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><ul>\n<li> <strong>Chen Xu, the former party secretary for one of China\u2019s most prestigious universities, has been promoted to deputy head of the United Front Work Department, an agency known for conducting espionage and spreading propaganda <\/strong><strong>focused on influencing foreign elites and coopting Chinese expatriates.<\/strong> <\/li>\n<li> <strong>During her tenure at Tsinghua University, Chen forged ties with influential Americans, including Stephen Schwarzman, the CEO of The Blackstone Group, an investment company the Chinese Communist Party supplied with<\/strong><strong> $3 billion in 2007, resulting in one of history\u2019s largest IPOs. <\/strong> <\/li>\n<li class=\"li1\"> <b>In 2013, Tsinghua University\u2019s Schwarzman Scholars was announced, a program which attracted the attention of many high-ranking Chinese Communist Party figures, such as President Xi Jinping, Vice Chairman of the <\/b><span class=\"s1\"><b>Chinese People\u2019s Political Consultative Conference <\/b><\/span><b>Tung Chee-hwa, and Vice Premier Liu Yandong, among others.<\/b> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"p1\">The new deputy head of a propaganda and espionage agency in the People\u2019s Republic of China (PRC) has documented ties with business tycoons, university heads and other elite members of American society.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/new.qq.com\/rain\/a\/20220228A04FDU00\">Chen Xu<\/a><\/span>, former party secretary of one of the PRC\u2019s most prestigious universities, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.topuniversities.com\/universities\/tsinghua-university\"><span class=\"s1\">Tsinghua<\/span><\/a>, was promoted to deputy head of the United Front Work Department (UFWD), according to an updated leadership roster on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) <a href=\"http:\/\/www.zytzb.gov.cn\/xldzc.jhtml\">portal<\/a>, which was first reported in Chinese <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thepaper.cn\/newsDetail_forward_16886297\">media<\/a> on Feb. 28.<\/p>\n<h3>The United Front Work Department<\/h3>\n<p>The Department of State described\u00a0the operations of the UFWD as including \u201cthe use or threat of physical violence, theft and release of private information, espionage, sabotage, or malicious interference in domestic political affairs, academic freedom, personal privacy, or business activity\u201d in a 2020 <a href=\"https:\/\/2017-2021.state.gov\/u-s-imposes-sanctions-on-peoples-republic-of-china-officials-engaged-in-coercive-influence-activities\/index.html\">press statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The general secretary of the CCP, Xi Jinping, labeled the UFWD a \u201c<a href=\"http:\/\/cpc.people.com.cn\/xuexi\/n\/2015\/0731\/c385474-27391395.html\"><span class=\"s1\">magic weapon<\/span><\/a>\u201d for \u201crealizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation\u201d in a 2014 speech celebrating the 65th anniversary of the Chinese People\u2019s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a state organ which oversees the UFWD.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, Beijing\u2019s espionage operations have garnered increased scrutiny in the U.S. following the FBI\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2022\/03\/17\/china-secret-police-repression-charges-new-york-yan-xiong\/\">charging<\/a> of five individuals with \u201ctransnational repression schemes\u201d on Mar. 16, crimes which allegedly included the targeting of a Congressional candidate.<\/p>\n<p>The Justice Department\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/usao-edny\/pr\/five-individuals-charged-variously-stalking-harassing-and-spying-us-residents-behalf\">announcement<\/a> comes just two months after MI5 named a London solicitor, <a href=\"https:\/\/christine-lee.co.uk\/\">Christine Ching Kui Lee<\/a>, as an alleged UFWD operative acting to financially influence British politicians in a January \u201csecurity service interference alert\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/thediplomat.com\/2022\/01\/uk-intelligence-agency-targets-chinas-united-front\/\">issued<\/a> to the House of Commons.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, who is the lead of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and chair of the group\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/gop-foreignaffairs.house.gov\/\">China Task Force<\/a>, spoke with the Daily Caller News Foundation about the dangers of associating with CCP, UFWD and CPPCC members.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u201cThe Justice Department\u2019s indictments this week are yet another wakeup call that the CCP is actively reaching into American society and trying to limit our freedoms,\u201d McCaul said, making reference to the FBI\u2019s Wednesday <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/speech\/assistant-attorney-general-matthew-olsen-delivers-remarks-press-conference-announcing\">press conference<\/a> as evidence of the looming espionage threat. \u201cYears of law enforcement activity, including this week, clearly show that this transnational repression can raise to the level of <span class=\"s1\">criminal<\/span> activity, and Americans should be aware when they are dealing entities who carry out the CCP\u2019s objectives abroad.\u201d <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2022\/02\/24\/doj-kills-the-china-initiative-kowtowing-to-a-chinese-american-group-with-documented-ccp-ties\/\">(RELATED: DOJ Kills The China Initiative, Kowtowing To A Chinese-American Group With Documented CCP Ties)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_7385424\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-7385424\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">CEO of Blackstone, Stephen Schwarzman, has met with Chen Xu on a number of occasions. [YouTube\/Screenshot\/SchwarzmanScholars]\n<\/div>\n<h3>Blackstone\u2019s Chinese Communist Party-Backed IPO<\/h3>\n<p>The UFWD\u2019s new deputy, Chen, has spent years cultivating relationships with U.S. <a href=\"https:\/\/tv.tsinghua.edu.cn\/info\/1072\/1585.htm\">politicians<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.geekwire.com\/2015\/uw-and-chinas-tsinghua-university-announce-dual-tech-degree-that-spans-continents-universities\/\">leaders<\/a> in the Chinese-American community, <a href=\"http:\/\/edu.sina.com.cn\/ischool\/2017-06-02\/doc-ifyfuzny2268767.shtml\">student associations<\/a>, and other <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sc.tsinghua.edu.cn\/newsletter\/358.jhtml\">high-profile individuals<\/a>, such as the billionaire CEO of The Blackstone Group, Stephen Schwarzman.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Schwarzman\u2019s connections to individuals tied to the CCP began years before meeting Chen at Tsinghua University.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Schwarzman began traveling to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/russellflannery\/2013\/05\/02\/hats-off-to-billionaire-stephen-schwarzmans-elite-china-scholarships-but-what-can-everyone-else-do\/?sh=216ab9a71e92\">China<\/a> in 1990, but by 2007, when his global investment business, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blackstone.com\/\">Blackstone<\/a>, opened its second Asia-Pacific office in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.financeasia.com\/article\/lexus-leung-resurfaces-at-blackstone-in-hong-kong\/71084\">Hong Kong<\/a>, Schwarzman had already begun keeping regular company with figures directly and indirectly associated with the CCP, such as Antony Leung.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Before heading up Blackstone\u2019s Hong Kong office, Leung was employed as the <a href=\"https:\/\/som.yale.edu\/blog\/interview-with-antony-leung\">financial secretary<\/a> of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. In that capacity, Leung reported to the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Tung-Chee-hwa\">Tung Chee-hwa<\/a>, a man linked to PRC influence operations across America and someone the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uscc.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/Research\/China%27s%20Overseas%20United%20Front%20Work%20-%20Background%20and%20Implications%20for%20US_final_0.pdf\">reports<\/a> is \u201cclearly associated with the United Front.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Mao Zedong\u2019s right hand man, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chinadaily.com.cn\/china\/cpc2011\/2010-09\/15\/content_12475230.htm\">Zhou Enlai<\/a>, was the first person appointed to the position of vice chairman of the CPPCC, a title Tung now holds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Schwarzman credits Tung\u2019s subordinate, Leung, with the lion\u2019s share of Blackstone\u2019s success in the PRC.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Schwarzman said it was Leung who was by his side when he first <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newyorker.com\/news\/evan-osnos\/rhodes-east-why-is-the-schwarzman-scholarship-in-china\">met<\/a> with Xi Jinping during the future president\u2019s short stint as party secretary of Shanghai in 2007, and it was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/SB118530730819476510\">Leung<\/a> who helped arrange for $3 billion in funding for Blackstone\u2019s June 2007 IPO from China Investment Corp (CIC), a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-blackstone-bwil\/beijing-fund-to-hike-stake-in-blackstone-source-idUSTRE49G2Q920081017\">sovereign wealth fund<\/a>\u00a0created by the CCP.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u201cWhen we were going public in 2007, we were planning a $4 billion IPO and the government of China came in and asked can we buy $3 billion of the $4 billion IPO?\u201d Schwarzman told <a href=\"https:\/\/economictimes.indiatimes.com\/markets\/expert-view\/this-business-titan-brokered-the-us-china-trade-deal-over-lunch-with-xi-jinping\/articleshow\/74525562.cms?from=mdr\"><span class=\"s1\">The Economic Times<\/span><\/a> in 2020. \u201cThis was sort of a shock because I have not been to China since 1990 and nobody buys three quarters of an IPO.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u201cSo, what we did is, we just increased it to $7 billion and we became the world\u2019s second largest IPO of the decade after Google,\u201d Schwarzman told The Economic Times. \u201cAs a result of this, it was for the first time China had bought an equity interest in a public company outside of China, since modern China was established in 1949.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After going public, Blackstone\u2019s first earnings <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sec.gov\/Archives\/edgar\/data\/1393818\/000119312507179793\/dex991.htm\">report<\/a> arrived in August 2007, showing the firm\u2019s profits had tripled over a year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Today, Blackstone\u2019s revenue <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/quotes\/BX\">sits<\/a> north of $22 billion a year, up from just over $3 billion in 2007, according to their annual <a href=\"https:\/\/s23.q4cdn.com\/714267708\/files\/doc_financials\/annual_reports\/BX_07AR_online.pdf\">report<\/a>, with the company now <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blackstone.com\/our-businesses\/real-estate\/\">proclaiming<\/a> itself the \u201clargest owner of commercial real estate globally.\u201d <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2022\/03\/17\/china-secret-police-repression-charges-new-york-yan-xiong\/\">(RELATED: \u2018Beat Him Until He Cannot Run For Election\u2019: Chinese Secret Police Target Congressional Candidate And Other Americans)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_7388343\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7388343\" class=\"wp-image-7388343 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-09-at-9.54.29-AM-e1646845066591.png\" alt=\"A figure linked to many malign PRC influence operations across the United States, Tung Chee-hwa is the vice chairman of the Chinese People\u2019s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which controls the United Front Work Department (UFWD) to which Chen Xu has been promoted. [YouTube\/Screenshot\/CGTN]\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-09-at-9.54.29-AM-e1646845066591.png 1883w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-09-at-9.54.29-AM-e1646845066591-279x120.png 279w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-09-at-9.54.29-AM-e1646845066591-620x267-1.png 620w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-09-at-9.54.29-AM-e1646845066591-768x330-1.png 768w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-09-at-9.54.29-AM-e1646845066591-1536x660-1.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-09-at-9.54.29-AM-e1646845066591-2047x880-1.png 2047w\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-7388343\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A figure linked to many malign PRC influence operations across the United States, Tung Chee-hwa is the vice chairman of the Chinese People\u2019s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which controls the United Front Work Department (UFWD) to which Chen Xu has been promoted. [YouTube\/Screenshot\/CGTN]\n<\/div>\n<h3>The Tsinghua Clique<\/h3>\n<p>Schwarzman also credits <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chinadaily.com.cn\/a\/202101\/20\/WS6007e2e1a31024ad0baa3eb0.html\">Leung<\/a> with helping him set up the 2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.schwarzmanscholars.org\/events-and-news\/american-financier-stephen-a-schwarzman-endows-international-scholarship-program-in-china\/\">deal<\/a> for Schwarzman Scholars, <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">a one-year English-language international <a href=\"https:\/\/www.schwarzmanscholars.org\/frequently-asked-questions\/#:~:text=How%20long%20is%20the%20program,ceremony%20early%20the%20following%20July.\">program<\/a> at Tsinghua University which required $300 million in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.schwarzmanscholars.org\/events-and-news\/schwarzman-scholars-endowment-achieves-300-million-fundraising-milestone\/#:~:text=In%20conjunction%20with%20its%20official,in%20just%20over%20one%20year.\">fundraising<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>As a one-party government, the political power to control the PRC has historically been fought over by competing intra-party \u201ccliques,\u201d of which there are known to be at least three: the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hoover.org\/research\/was-shanghai-gang-shanghaied-fall-chen-liangyu-and-survival-jiang-zemins-faction\">Shanghai Clique<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.orfonline.org\/research\/the-rise-of-the-xi-gang\/\">Communist Youth League Clique<\/a>\u00a0and the <a href=\"https:\/\/thediplomat.com\/2015\/04\/the-rise-of-a-new-tsinghua-clique-in-chinese-politics\/\">Tsinghua Clique<\/a>, which Xi is said to lead.<\/p>\n<p>Chen Xu was promoted to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.takungpao.com\/news\/232108\/2022\/0228\/693619.html\">party secretary<\/a> of Tsinghua University in December 2013 and thereafter became an important and frequent point of contact for Schwarzman <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sc.tsinghua.edu.cn\/newsletter\/337.jhtml\">time<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/en.sc.tsinghua.edu.cn\/newsletter\/825.jhtml\">time<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsinghua.edu.cn\/en\/info\/1244\/2905.htm\">time<\/a> again.<\/p>\n<p>As Tsinghua\u2019s party secretary, Chen held an important position for both the university and the CCP, with Tsinghua serving as both a fertile training ground for domestic and international talent, as well as a capable vehicle for projecting the PRC\u2019s soft power.<\/p>\n<p>According to her station, Chen was expected to promote the interests of both her university, as well as the CCP, which more often than not were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsinghua.edu.cn\/en\/info\/1244\/10430.htm\">indistinguishable<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>When Xi arranged for President Vladimir Putin to receive an honorary doctorate degree from Tsinghua University in 2019, it was Chen who \u201cpresided over the ceremony and read out the address of honor,\u201d welcoming the Russian dictator into the \u201cTsinghua family,\u201d according to a Chinese state-run media Global Times <a href=\"https:\/\/www.globaltimes.cn\/page\/202110\/1235574.shtml\">report<\/a>. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2022\/03\/12\/american-corporation-russia-ukraine-uyghur-genocide-china\/\">(RELATED: Below Their Lines: American Corporations Cancel Russia But Remain Silent On Uyghur Genocide)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_7385730\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7385730\" class=\"wp-image-7385730 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-02-at-6.14.44-PM-e1646429426582.png\" alt=\"The vice premier of the PRC and head of the United Front Work Department, Liu Yandong, gave a speech at the annual opening ceremony for Schwarzman Scholars at Tsinghua University in 2016. [YouTube\/Screenshot\/SchwarzmanScholars]\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-02-at-6.14.44-PM-e1646429426582.png 1897w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-02-at-6.14.44-PM-e1646429426582-280x120.png 280w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-02-at-6.14.44-PM-e1646429426582-620x266-1.png 620w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-02-at-6.14.44-PM-e1646429426582-768x329-1.png 768w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-02-at-6.14.44-PM-e1646429426582-1536x658-1.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-02-at-6.14.44-PM-e1646429426582-2048x877-1.png 2048w\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-7385730\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The vice premier of the PRC and head of the United Front Work Department, Liu Yandong, gave a speech at the annual opening ceremony for Schwarzman Scholars at Tsinghua University in 2016. [YouTube\/Screenshot\/SchwarzmanScholars]\n<\/div>\n<h3>Schwarzman Scholars<\/h3>\n<p>When the opening convocation for Schwarzman Scholars was held, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.npc.gov.cn\/zgrdw\/englishnpc\/GreatHall\/node_3072.htm\">the Great Hall of the People<\/a> \u2014 Beijing\u2019s prime CCP venue for \u201cstate affairs and diplomatic activities\u201d \u2014 was selected to host the event in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.schwarzmanscholars.org\/events-and-news\/groundbreaking-ceremony-held-for-schwarzman-college\/\">April 2013<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>From its inception, Schwarzman Scholars attracted high-level CPPCC and UFWD attention.<\/p>\n<p>David Daokui Li, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sem.tsinghua.edu.cn\/en\/info\/1216\/7510.htm\"><span class=\"s1\">member<\/span><\/a> of the CPPCC of which Tung was the vice chairman, was appointed in 2013 as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.schwarzmanscholars.org\/events-and-news\/american-financier-stephen-a-schwarzman-endows-international-scholarship-program-in-china\/\">dean of Schwarzman Scholars<\/a>. Among other things, Li would chair a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sc.tsinghua.edu.cn\/newsletter\/347.jhtml\">seminar<\/a> for the program\u2019s admissions attended by CCP cadre from the UFWD, Communist Youth League and central committee, while <a href=\"https:\/\/www.schwarzmanscholars.org\/about\/leadership\/\">Tung<\/a> himself sat on the advisory board for the program.<\/p>\n<p>Schwarzman sat beside the CCP\u2019s highest-ranking female, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heritage.org\/homeland-security\/commentary\/the-silent-serpent-why-chinas-influence-us-universities-has-gone\"><span class=\"s1\">Liu Yandong<\/span><\/a> \u2014 the vice premier and former head of both the UFWD and <a href=\"http:\/\/global.chinadaily.com.cn\/a\/201311\/21\/WS5a2f6e45a3108bc8c6724186.html\"><span class=\"s1\">Confucius Institute<\/span><\/a> project \u2014 during the program\u2019s opening convocation in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=E80u_HOMhwA\">April<\/a>, then again in <a href=\"http:\/\/global.chinadaily.com.cn\/a\/201311\/22\/WS5a2f72e1a3108bc8c67244e9.html\">November<\/a> 2013 when Liu visited Washington D.C., and again in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zX9IR7niVsI&#038;t=29s\">2016<\/a> when the program began its first semester.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Schwarzman Scholars program is extremely fortunate to have the support from China\u2019s top leadership, exemplified by the gracious congratulatory letter from President Xi Jinping and by the unwavering support of Vice Premier Liu Yandong,\u201d said Tsinghua University <a href=\"https:\/\/www.schwarzmanscholars.org\/events-and-news\/schwarzman-scholars-marks-first-year\/\">President Chen Jining<\/a> in April 2014.<\/p>\n<p>Liu reappeared in Schwarzman\u2019s life <a href=\"http:\/\/en.people.cn\/90883\/8420177.html\">again<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsinghua.edu.cn\/en\/info\/1244\/2905.htm\">again<\/a>, with Schwarzman labeling Liu a \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=h06qDwAAQBAJ&#038;pg=PA358&#038;lpg=PA358&#038;dq=madame+chen+xu+at+tsinghua+has+also+been+an+essential+part+of+the+senior+leadership+who+created&#038;source=bl&#038;ots=BVYgL5RMVM&#038;sig=ACfU3U13g6BVx7Jg8AlyOatubp09Vid09g&#038;hl=en&#038;sa=X&#038;ved=2ahUKEwjc1sDF1sb2AhXZPH0KHS8QAW8Q6AF6BAgREAM#v=onepage&#038;q=madame%20chen%20xu%20at%20tsinghua%20has%20also%20been%20an%20essential%20part%20of%20the%20senior%20leadership%20who%20created&#038;f=false\">special friend<\/a>\u201d in the acknowledgment section of his 2019 book \u201c<\/p>\n<p>Schwarzman also thanked many other \u201cfriends and colleagues in the Chinese government\u201d in his book, such as \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theatlantic.com\/international\/archive\/2021\/11\/china-xi-jinping\/620645\/\">President Xi Jinping<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-china-59456541\">Premier Li Keqiang<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.economist.com\/china\/2015\/03\/26\/the-devil-or-mr-wang\">Vice President Wang Qishan<\/a>\u201d and high-ranking influence operatives, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uschina.org\/state-council-vice-premier-sun-chunlan\">Sun Chunlan<\/a>, another vice premier and former head of the UFWD, with whom Schwarzman Scholars engaged at least <a href=\"http:\/\/english.www.gov.cn\/state_council\/vice_premiers\/2018\/04\/13\/content_281476110319442.htm\">once<\/a> or <a href=\"http:\/\/en.sc.tsinghua.edu.cn\/newsletter\/2496.jhtml\">twice<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Chen was also thanked in the acknowledgment section of Schwarzman\u2019s book.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cParty Secretary Madame Chen Xu at Tsinghua has also been an essential part of the senior leadership who created the opportunity for Schwarzman Scholars to occupy a unique position at the university,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=h06qDwAAQBAJ&#038;pg=PA358&#038;lpg=PA358&#038;dq=madame+chen+xu+at+tsinghua+has+also+been+an+essential+part+of+the+senior+leadership+who+created&#038;source=bl&#038;ots=BVYgL5RMVM&#038;sig=ACfU3U13g6BVx7Jg8AlyOatubp09Vid09g&#038;hl=en&#038;sa=X&#038;ved=2ahUKEwjc1sDF1sb2AhXZPH0KHS8QAW8Q6AF6BAgREAM#v=onepage&#038;q=madame%20chen%20xu%20at%20tsinghua%20has%20also%20been%20an%20essential%20part%20of%20the%20senior%20leadership%20who%20created&#038;f=false\">reads<\/a> Schwarzman\u2019s acknowledgment. \u201cShe and President Qiu have helped create broad support for the program within the Chinese government. I always enjoy meeting with her and President Qiu on my frequent visits to Beijing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While Chen and Tung worked <a href=\"https:\/\/carnegieendowment.org\/2017\/03\/13\/zh-event-5541\">off<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/en.sc.tsinghua.edu.cn\/newsletter\/910.jhtml\">on<\/a> together over the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tsinghua.edu.cn\/en\/info\/1244\/2960.htm\">years<\/a>, Schwarzman and Tung also continued to stay in touch.<\/p>\n<p>As honorary chairman of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cgccusa.org\/en\/\">China General Chamber of Commerce (CGCC)<\/a> \u2014 characterized as a type of UFWD front organization in a 2018 Jamestown Foundation <a href=\"https:\/\/jamestown.org\/program\/understanding-the-role-of-chambers-of-commerce-and-industry-associations-in-united-front-work\/\">report<\/a> \u2014 Tung often appeared at the body\u2019s annual galas in New York, including with Schwarzman in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.china-embassy.org\/eng\/dszl\/dshd\/201701\/t20170114_4902881.htm\">2017<\/a> and the following year.<\/p>\n<p>On stage during the <a href=\"https:\/\/global.chinadaily.com.cn\/a\/201801\/18\/WS5a606304a310e4ebf433ec0b.html\">2018<\/a> gala, Tung praised Schwarzman for \u201chis remarkable and impactful contributions to a constructive and cooperative China-U.S. relationship,\u201d before personally presenting the billionaire with the \u201cGoodwill Ambassador for China-U.S. Exchange\u201d award.<\/p>\n<p>While Schwarzman Scholars did not immediately respond to request for comment, a spokesperson for Blackstone told the DCNF: \u201cThe insinuations are false and misleading. Schwarzman Scholars is an internationally recognized program designed to foster dialogue between nations.\u201d\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2022\/02\/23\/congress-urges-amazon-ceo-to-aid-tortured-chinese-whistleblower\/\">(<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">RELATED: <\/span>Congress Urges Amazon CEO To Aid Tortured Chinese Whistleblower)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_7394509\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-7394509\" class=\"wp-image-7394509 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-18-at-3.29.40-PM-e1647639027878.png\" alt=\"Stephen Schwarzman stands at the podium while Tung Chee-hwa waves to the audience around him during the 2018 China General Chamber of Commerce New Year gala. [YouTube\/Screenshot\/ChinaGeneralChamberOfCommerceUSA]\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-18-at-3.29.40-PM-e1647639027878.png 1899w, https:\/\/cdn01.dailycaller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-18-at-3.29.40-PM-e1647639027878-280x120.png 280w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-18-at-3.29.40-PM-e1647639027878-620x265-1.png 620w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-18-at-3.29.40-PM-e1647639027878-768x329-1.png 768w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-18-at-3.29.40-PM-e1647639027878-1536x657-1.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Screen-Shot-2022-03-18-at-3.29.40-PM-e1647639027878-2047x876-1.png 2047w\" \/><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-7394509\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stephen Schwarzman stands at the podium while Tung Chee-hwa waves to the audience around him during the 2018 China General Chamber of Commerce New Year gala. [YouTube\/Screenshot\/ChinaGeneralChamberOfCommerceUSA]\n<\/div>\n<h3>\u2018The UFWD And CPPCC Are Not Benign Entities\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>Not long after helping establish Schwarzman Scholars, Schwarzman\u2019s partner, Leung, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blackstone.com\/news\/press\/antony-leung-to-become-group-ceo-of-nan-fung-group\/\">left<\/a> Blackstone in November 2013.<\/p>\n<p>Today, the senior managing director of greater China for Blackstone is a man named <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blackstone.com\/people\/liping-zhang\/\">Liping Zhang<\/a>, another member of the CPPCC.<\/p>\n<p>The addition of Schwarzman Scholars to Tsinghua was no less than a watershed moment for the university, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeshighereducation.com\/world-university-rankings\/tsinghua-university\">coinciding<\/a> with a sharp spike in the institution\u2019s international prestige, an event which also dovetailed with Xi Jinping\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/biography\/Xi-Jinping\">rise<\/a>,\u00a0offering Chen unprecedented access to a surplus of global elite and ample opportunity to advance her personal, professional, and political interests.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u201cThe UFWD and CPPCC are not benign entities,\u201d Rep. McCaul told the DCNF. \u201cThey are elements of the CCP charged with carrying out political subversion. Americans should be aware of their own exposure to the CCP, which is distinct from ordinary foreign ties.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">\u201cWhether it\u2019s spreading CCP propaganda, exporting sensitive technology to China, or lobbying for United Front groups, there are many activities that benefit the CCP that are legal in the United States \u2014 at least for now,\u201d said McCaul. \u201cAs we saw with the <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2022\/02\/17\/china-uyghur-genocide-timeline\/\">passage<\/a> of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which banned the importation of Uyghur slave labor goods, things can change fast as the CCP threat comes into focus. Even in areas where federal intervention isn\u2019t appropriate, cooperation with the CCP is carrying increasing reputational, financial, and moral costs as Americans better understand our adversary.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Blackstone and Schwarzman Scholars are just two of countless entities that became acquainted with Chen before she was elevated to deputy head of the UFWD, and this article is just the first in a series investigating the ties Chen cultivated with America\u2019s elite. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2022\/02\/23\/congress-urges-amazon-ceo-to-aid-tortured-chinese-whistleblower\/\">(RELATED: Congress Urges Amazon CEO To Aid Tortured Chinese Whistleblower)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact <a href=\"mailto:licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org\">licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chen Xu, the former party secretary for one of China\u2019s most prestigious universities, has been promoted to deputy head of the United Front Work Department, an agency known for<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1389075","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1389075","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1389075"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1389075\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1389075"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1389075"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1389075"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}