Report details global funding network, Chinese partnerships, media amplification, and congressional scrutiny tied to Shanghai-based activist operations.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A wide-ranging Just the News investigation has detailed the global activities of businessman Neville Roy Singham, describing a network of media, academic, and activist organizations with operational ties inside China and connections to entities aligned with the Chinese Communist Party.
Singham, a U.S.-born entrepreneur now based in Shanghai, built his fortune after he sold his technology firm ThoughtWorks in 2017. According to the report, he has since directed significant financial resources toward a global network of organizations that operate in the United States and internationally, funding media outlets, activist groups, and research initiatives aligned with Marxist and socialist causes.
The investigation found that Singham lives and works in Shanghai, where he coordinates operations linked to Chinese universities, propaganda outlets, and CCP-aligned institutions. While he rarely speaks publicly, he appeared at a November forum in China where he introduced a report challenging Western interpretations of global history and governance.
The report, titled “Understanding Who Saved Humanity: A Restorationist History”, was presented at the Global South Academic Forum, which listed Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research—where Singham serves as chairman of the advisory board—as a key partner. The forum was jointly hosted with Chinese institutions including East China Normal University and involved participation from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and other government-linked academic bodies.
The forum’s programming included keynote speeches from academics tied to Chinese state institutions, including Li Shenming of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Wang Hui of Tsinghua University. The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences itself has been noted as operating under China’s State Council.
The investigation also found that the forum’s co-organizers included entities affiliated with the Chinese government, such as Fudan University and organizations connected to the state-owned China Publishing Group. Chinese state media outlets, including CGTN and Shanghai Media Group, conducted extensive coverage of the event.
Singham’s report was also circulated through Chinese media channels. It was first promoted by the outlet Guancha, where Singham has published multiple articles under the name “Luo Yi,” including a September piece advancing similar themes about World War II history and global power dynamics. His work has been republished across Chinese platforms such as Tencent QQ, Phoenix New Media, Sina Corporation, and Sohu, as well as on China’s Baidu platform via an entry.
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Guancha itself has drawn scrutiny. Reporters Without Borders described it as “Chinese propaganda media,” while the China Media Project assessed that it closely adheres to government narratives. Additional analysis has noted its alignment with nationalist and anti-Western messaging.
The investigation further details how Singham’s network extends into Chinese academic institutions. East China Normal University has reposted materials promoting his report, while its faculty members, including Lu Xinyu, have participated in related initiatives. ECNU previously announced a strategic partnership with Shanghai Maku Culture Communication, an organization closely linked to Singham’s network.
A congressional report has also noted ECNU’s involvement in advanced research programs and partnerships with entities such as the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, which has been subject to U.S. restrictions.
Financial and organizational ties between Singham-linked nonprofits and Chinese entities are also highlighted. IRS filings show substantial funding flows from U.S.-based organizations to Shanghai-based firms such as Maku. Additional reporting indicates that millions of dollars have been directed toward media production and consulting activities linked to Singham’s network.
According to prior reporting from The New York Times, Singham shares office space in Shanghai with a media company focused on promoting China’s global narrative. The arrangement reportedly includes shared staff and overlapping operations.
The investigation also details the role of affiliated initiatives such as the China Academy, which describes itself as a platform for amplifying Chinese perspectives globally and claims a large social media reach. Its contributors include figures tied to Singham’s network, including Jodie Evans and Vijay Prashad. The academy also promotes partnerships with media ventures such as Wave Media, whose digital platforms distribute content aligned with these themes.
Additional outlets linked to the network include Dongsheng News, which has published content drawn from Chinese state media, and Wenhua Zongheng, a journal that is published in partnership with Tricontinental and is overseen by a Chinese government-linked association.
The association supervising Wenhua Zongheng has stated it is guided by Xi Jinping’s political framework and operates under Chinese government oversight, according to publicly available records. It has declared adherence to Communist Party leadership and maintains internal party structures.
Singham’s business interests in China include consulting firms such as Shanghai Luoweixing, where corporate filings show he holds full ownership and serves as executive director. Additional reporting indicates that he founded the firm in 2019 after relocating to Shanghai.
These firms have been linked to local government initiatives. A Shanghai district government website reported that Singham-associated companies participated in CCP-related development and planning activities.
Congressional scrutiny of Singham’s activities has intensified. Lawmakers, including House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, have issued letters raising concerns about the network’s connections to Chinese entities and its potential role in foreign influence efforts. The House Oversight Committee has also voted this year to subpoena Singham as part of its investigation.
Republican lawmakers have called for further review of whether Singham-linked organizations should register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act and whether their tax-exempt status should be reevaluated.
Singham has denied any affiliation with the Chinese Communist Party. In a statement, he said, “I do not work for, nor take instruction from, nor receive funding from the Propaganda Department or any division of the Chinese government or the Communist Party of China… I am not now and have never been a member of the Communist Party of China.”
The investigation concludes that Singham’s network operates across multiple sectors, including media, academia, and nonprofit organizations, with overlapping funding streams and institutional partnerships that continue to draw attention from U.S. policymakers and investigators examining foreign influence activities.
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