Behind the Arcadia Case: Community Media, WeChat, Beijings Influence Networks

A reflection of the U.S. flag behind the WeChat and TikTok apps on Sept. 19, 2020. Florence Lo/ReutersWhen federal prosecutors accused then-Arcadia, California, Mayor Eileen Wang of acting as an illegal agent of China, one detail stood out in the court filings: the alleged influence operation network built through a Chinese-language news site, WeChat coordination, repost chains, civic relationships, and community trust.At the center of the case is the U.S. News Center, a Chinese-language media outlet operated by Wang and her former fiancé, Yaoning “Mike” Sun, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Federal authorities allege the site presented itself as a local news platform serving Southern California’s Chinese American community while publishing content directed by Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials.