The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) secretly planned to buy off Western anti-communist influencers, using vast financial resources to manipulate global voices and media for its own purposes, a professor recently revealed.
Chongyi Feng, a China Studies professor at the University of Technology Sydney, told NTD on March 25 that the CCP held a secret meeting in Canada last year to target and pay off foreign anti-communist influencers to promote the regime’s narratives.
According to Chinese reporters, some influencers who have previously opposed the CCP have recently been seen posting content that smears Falun Gong, a meditation practice, and Shen Yun, a U.S.-based performing arts group.
According to Feng, the CCP decided to spend a large sum of money to recruit anti-communist influencers for its own agenda. He warned that this marked a major policy shift, based on information from insiders with direct knowledge of the system.
Feng said this highlights the impact of anti-communist influencers in the West. Their efforts in spreading the truth and raising awareness among the public and governments pose a major threat to the CCP regime.
Feng acknowledged that competition among influencers is tough, and some may view it as an opportunity they can't resist.
He said: "They might think no one will notice and believe they can take the money without getting caught. However, this issue is gaining attention in the media, and the pressure could deter some influencers from accepting CCP money to engage in shady work."
Feng warned that the temptation to take CCP money comes with high risks. Once someone is bought off and becomes complicit, their reputation could be ruined for good. He hopes his peers will stay true to their principles and maintain their integrity.
Feng said, "The CCP’s strategy is both unifying and fighting. While it’s cracking down on people, it’s also trying to buy influence. Naturally, some people with weak willpower or personal agendas will fall for it. It’s a messy situation. We can’t sell our souls for small gains and risk ruining our reputations. Just a heads-up to everyone."
“It was a video of a white dude complaining about this group. And I’m thinking, ‘I’m not posting this to my channel.’ But a lot of people were like, ‘200 bucks, I’ll take it.’”
Commentator Hao Tang argued on his show, World Crossroad, that the CCP’s propaganda machine lacks influence and credibility in the West. As a result, they are using Western figures and media to discredit Shen Yun Performing Arts and Falun Gong, while also trying to justify the brutal persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a mind-body practice based on universal principles of truth, compassion, and forbearance. Since 1999, the Communist regime has waged a brutal campaign of persecution against Falun Gong, resulting in countless deaths and even organ harvesting.
Zhiyuan Wang, spokesperson for the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong, told the NTD that in the second half of 2024, the CCP escalated its persecution of Falun Gong, including efforts to disrupt and target the Shen Yun Performing Arts.
He said, “Known for its world-class performances, Shen Yun also presents programs that expose the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong, including depictions of live organ harvesting, which has intensified the regime's fear.”
Wang noted that although the CCP has been persecuting Falun Gong for 25 years, the regime’s fear has only grown as Falun Gong practitioners have worked to expose the truth about the persecution worldwide.
Wang said, "When the world fully understands the truth behind its crimes against humanity, and when the international community, including the U.S. government, begins to investigate, the CCP will face the collapse of its entire regime. Its leaders will be held accountable. This is why the CCP has launched a new wave of interference and persecution against Falun Gong and Shen Yun."
Shen Yun is a New York-based performing arts group founded by Falun Gong practitioners in the United States, which aims to revive traditional Chinese culture. Since last summer, a group of agents, including alleged former Falun Gong practitioners and former Shen Yun performers, has surfaced and launched a widespread attack on Shen Yun and Falun Gong on social media.
Since August 2024, The New York Times has published up to 10 articles attacking Shen Yun Performing Arts. In addition, numerous fake accounts controlled by the CCP have allegedly been used to promote these attacks on social media platforms such as X. Recently, X has been removing thousands of accounts from its platform.
Despite the CCP’s interference, eight Shen Yun Performing Arts troupes are touring worldwide, with shows in many cities completely sold out.