Foreign policy experts have expressed little surprise at China's ongoing efforts to exert influence over local communities in the United States, following the resignation and guilty plea of a southern California mayor for acting as an illegal foreign agent of Beijing.
Mayor's Guilty Plea
Eileen Wang, 58, agreed to plead guilty to a felony count related to acting as an agent for the People's Republic of China. According to a plea agreement filed by the Justice Department, Wang and an associate worked to promote Beijing's interests, including disseminating pro-PRC propaganda through a website that purported to be a news source for the local Chinese American community. Wang could face up to 10 years in federal prison.
The revelation has sent shockwaves through Arcadia, often referred to as the "Chinese Beverly Hills" due to its large and affluent Chinese American population. Of the city's 56,000 residents, roughly half are of Chinese descent. Wang resigned her post last week after serving on the city council since her election in 2022. City councillors in Arcadia rotate into the mayoral seat, and Wang was mayor at the time of her resignation.
City officials have called the charges "deeply troubling" and urged the community to move forward, emphasizing that one individual's actions should not define the city.
Expert Insights on Chinese Influence
Joshua Kurlantzick, a senior fellow for Southeast Asia and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, noted that China's efforts to exert influence beyond its borders have become "very, very, very common." Beijing has an entire agency dedicated to meddling in foreign governments, often working with diaspora communities to shift narratives, reduce dissent, and gain control of political discourse in other countries.
"China is interested in having influence over politicians from a whole range of countries, ranging from the local to the national level, as well as the media and student groups," Kurlantzick said. "Their focus, increasingly, has been on mayors, state legislatures, etc., because those people have less knowledge and fewer staff to protect them."
The Justice Department indicated that Wang's plea relates to her work before she was elected to the Arcadia city council. However, Kurlantzick pointed out that part of China's strategy is to have individuals later "ascend" to higher-ranking positions.
Broad Definition of 'Foreign Agent'
Federal law broadly requires those in the US to register their work if they are acting on behalf of a foreign government, under either the Foreign Agents Registration Act or other US statutes. Wang was charged with violating part of the US code that required her to do so, facing penalties of up to 10 years in prison or a $250,000 fine.
Rose Chan Loui, a legal expert at the University of California at Los Angeles who has helped non-profits navigate foreign agent report requirements, explained that US law is quite broad regarding actions that require registration. "It doesn't matter what the content is, as long as you think it will influence the public's opinion. That's the only intent you need to have," she said. "If they can say that you are acting as an agent of that foreign person and engaging in political activities for that foreign principal, you are required to report those activities."
Kurlantzick stressed that such efforts are not exclusive to Chinese American communities. He pointed to a 2023 Associated Press investigation that found China had made deep inroads with officials in Utah, including the then Utah House speaker, who described the state as an "old friend" of China.
China's Narrative Control
Mareike Ohlberg, a senior fellow in the Indo-Pacific program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, said China's efforts to have foreigners advance its interests abroad have grown more sophisticated. "It's quite common for them to try and rope foreigners into either speaking out on China's behalf, repeating key talking points, or amplifying existing content," Ohlberg said. China's mentality, she added, is that you "need to fight hostile narratives and make sure there's no space for them."
One of the articles on Wang's website highlighted by the Justice Department was written by a Chinese official, claiming there was "no such thing as 'forced labor'" and "no genocide" in Xinjiang, an attempt to counter reports on China's subjugation of Uyghurs.
Rushan Abbas, a Uyghur American activist whose sister was detained and arrested in 2018, said Wang's arrest was a disturbing reminder of China's efforts to stifle dissent. "More than anything, it's upsetting, but not surprising," Abbas said. "It's a very disturbing reminder that the Chinese Communist Party's reach is global. I'm glad the American public is finally starting to realize what kind of government this is and how everyone around us can be manipulated."
Community Reaction in Arcadia
In Arcadia, officials have moved to both cast blame and urge the city to move on. Sharon Kwan, a city councillor who served as Arcadia's mayor in 2025 and 2026, said the episode had become a "deeply painful and sobering moment" for the city. She had publicly raised concerns about transparency and foreign influence for over a year and requested that the city council discuss whether Wang should resign.
"At the time, I felt that raising concerns about transparency and accountability was being treated as the problem itself, rather than the underlying federal investigation involving the sitting mayor," Kwan said. "Looking back now, I believe the council majority failed the residents of Arcadia by refusing to seriously confront the gravity of the situation."
Paul Cheng, serving as mayor pro tem until a permanent replacement is chosen, defended the council's work, stating that investigating based on innuendo would set a dangerous precedent. "The best way to cooperate is to make yourself available and get out of the way," Cheng said. "Politicizing the moment is distracting and disunifying." He warned that turning Wang's resignation into a "political firestorm" risked tearing the community apart.
Wang's attorneys, Brian Sun and Jason Liang, released a statement saying their client felt her service on the city council was a "true highlight" of her life, but "events in Ms. Wang's personal life, including her trust and love for apparently the wrong person who ultimately led her astray, require her to step away from public service." Wang apologized for her mistakes and expressed unchanged love for the Arcadia community.
Dominic Lazzaretto, the Arcadia city manager, stressed that the allegations pertained to conduct before Wang took office. An internal review found no city finances, staff, or decision-making were involved. "We remain committed to serving our residents with transparency, consistency, and the highest standard of public trust," Lazzaretto said.
Arcadia will select a new mayor and mayor pro tem at its next meeting and determine how Wang's district will be represented until the November election. Wang is expected to appear in court on 29 May.
