By Cao Ming, Vision Times
FAIRFAX, Virginia — With Virginia’s Aug. 4 primary elections fast approaching, candidates from both political parties gathered in Fairfax County on July 26 to address one issue that united everyone in the room: The growing challenge posed by the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) expanding campaign of transnational repression, cyber espionage, and infiltration of American institutions.
Hosted by the Asian Community Service Center (ACSC) at the George Mason Library, the forum brought together candidates seeking offices ranging from local government to Congress, alongside community members concerned about Beijing’s far-reaching influence in the United States.
The meet and greet opened with excerpts from the documentaries China’s Stealth Invasion and Unbroken: The Untold Story of Shen Yun, followed by remarks from community representatives who warned that the CCP’s oppressive efforts now extend far beyond run-of-the-mill geopolitics by affecting Chinese dissidents, religious believers, and overseas communities living outside China.
Expanding transnational repression
China analyst Mark Yang, a Fairfax County resident, described what he called an “increasingly aggressive” campaign of transnational repression targeting individuals on American soil, including Falun Gong practitioners, Uyghurs, Christians, Hong Kong activists, and others critical of Beijing’s human rights record.
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Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual practice rooted in the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Despite being peaceful in nature, the CCP launched a brutal campaign to eradicate the practice in July 1999 after seeing its rapid rise in popularity as a threat to its authoritarian regime. Since then, thousands of practitioners have perished at the hands of Chinese police. The persecution has continued unabated for over 20 years.
Falun Gong practitioners take part in a parade through central Manhattan, New York, on May 10, 2024 to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day. (Image: via Minghui.org)
Yang cited examples of surveillance and intimidation, including cases in which Chinese nationals living in the United States discussed travel plans to Taiwan, only to have family members in China later questioned or harassed by authorities. He also warned that the CCP has increasingly relied on AI-generated deepfakes, coordinated online influence campaigns, and social media personalities to shape public opinion abroad.
Mark Yang, a Fairfax County-based analyst specializing in China issues, addresses the audience during the meet and greet on July 26, 2026. (Image: Cao Ming/Vision Times)
Referring to what he described as more than 300 violent threats directed at the Falun Gong community since March 2024, Yang argued that the issue extends well beyond individual victims. “The CCP’s actions have profound implications for America’s national security, national sovereignty, and way of life,” Yang said, adding, “U.S. officials must remain vigilant and take stronger action to defend America’s freedom and ensure the safety of our communities.”
Targeting culture and free speech
Former Peking University economics professor Xia Yeliang echoed those concerns, arguing that Beijing’s influence campaign is often subtle, persistent, and deeply-embedded across multiple sectors of American society. According to Xia, the CCP now leverages economic incentives, media influence, academic partnerships, and widely used technology platforms, including popular apps such as TikTok and WeChat, to shape public discourse and discourage criticism of its human rights record.
China analyst Xia Yeliang, a former economics professor at Peking University, discussed the CCP’s growing influence operations on American society, culture, and politics at the event on in Fairfax, Virginia on July 26, 2026. (ImageCao Ming/Vision Times)
He pointed to Shen Yun Performing Arts as an example of the CCP’s hostility toward traditional Chinese culture. “Shen Yun represents traditional Chinese culture–the very culture the CCP has spent decades trying to erase because it is not communist culture,” Xia said. “The CCP fears culture, especially traditional culture. It fears stories that expose its abuses and voices that speak honestly about freedom.”
Founded in 2006, Shen Yun is a New York-based performing arts company dedicated to reviving traditional Chinese culture and art through classical Chinese dance and music. Many of Shen Yun’s performers and staff are practitioners of Falun Gong. Because of the persecution, Shen Yun is not currently able to perform in mainland China.
Shen Yun Performing Arts World Company’s curtain call at the Gumi Arts Center–Grand Hall in Gumi, South Korea, on Feb. 8, 2023. (Image: Kim Guk-hwan/The Epoch Times)
Xia argued that similar pressures can also be seen in Hollywood, universities, social media, and corporate America, where economic considerations sometimes encourage self-censorship on issues such as Taiwan, Tibet, and the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
Still, he expressed optimism that public awareness remains democracy’s strongest defense. “Awareness is the first step toward resilience,” Xia said, adding, “By understanding how the CCP operates, advocating for transparency and accountability while defending freedom of speech, freedom of belief, and freedom of action, we can effectively push back against authoritarianism.”
Bipartisan consensus
While candidates represented different parties and offices, many delivered similar messages regarding the CCP. Retired Maj. Gen. Bert Mizusawa, a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate who previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army and later worked on national security policy during U.S. President Donald Trump’s first term, said confronting Beijing has remained a consistent priority throughout his career.
Republican Senate candidate and retired Major General Bert Misusela gives remarks during the meet and greet in Fairfax, Virginia on July 26, 2026. (Image: Cao Ming/Vision Times)
“When I worked in the U.S. Senate, I was responsible for Asia-Pacific affairs, and China was already our number one threat,” Mizusawa said, adding, “Later at the Pentagon, I reached the same conclusion. I made sure the CCP was identified as America’s top national security threat because I understood exactly what we were facing.”
Republican Senate candidate Kim Farington, the former chief financial officer of the Federal Emergency Response Network, said she previously worked on issues involving Huawei equipment and telecommunications security. “I’ve dealt with the challenges posed by the CCP government before, and I’ll continue doing so for you and for all Americans,” she said.
Republican US Senate candidate Kim Farington outlines her platform and addresses the audience during the event in Fairfax, Virginia on July 26, 2026. (Image: Cao Ming/Vision Times)
Farington emphasized that opposition to the CCP should not be confused with hostility toward Chinese people or Chinese culture. “The CCP does not represent the Chinese people. It does not represent Chinese culture, nor the Chinese Americans who came here to pursue the American Dream.” Having attended Shen Yun performances twice, Farington also condemned ongoing threats and attacks against the performing arts company.
‘No one in America should feel threatened’
Democratic congressional candidate Michael Duffin, who previously served at the U.S. State Department, argued that protecting America’s democratic institutions is essential to not just remaining competitive with China, but also protecting the rights of all citizens in the U.S.
Michael Duffin, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Virginia’s 8th District, addresses the audience during the meet and greet on July 26, 2026. (Image: Cao Ming/Vision Times)
He criticized slashes to agencies responsible for cybersecurity and international development, saying the United States must strengthen, not weaken, its ability to respond to foreign influence campaigns. “We must hold accountable those who violate human rights and civil rights,” Duffin said, adding, “We also need to recognize CCP propaganda online, because social media has become fertile ground for hatred and division.”
Republican congressional candidate Tony Sabio said one pillar of his proposed “Promise for America” agenda focuses specifically on strengthening community security and protecting the United States from foreign threats. “Congress spends too much time talking about these issues and not enough time taking action,” Sabio said, pledging to introduce related legislation on his first day in office if elected.
Republican congressional candidate Tony Sabio outlines his platform during the meet and greet in Fairfax, Virginia on July 26, 2026. (Image: Cao Ming/Vision Times)
Several candidates who immigrated to the United States after fleeing authoritarian governments also drew parallels between their personal experiences and the concerns expressed by attendees.
Fairfax City Council candidate María José Padmore, a Democrat who arrived in the United States three decades ago as a political refugee from Nicaragua, said she understood firsthand what it means to escape dictatorship. “I have lived through what many of you have experienced,” Padmore said. “I had to leave my home in the middle of the night with nothing, was forced onto a plane, and eventually sought political asylum in the United States.”
María José Padmore, a Democratic candidate for the Fairfax City Council, gives remarks and outlines her platform during the meet and greet on July 26, 2026. (Image: Cao Ming/Vision Times)
She argued that resisting authoritarian influence begins at the local level by protecting privacy, strengthening local institutions, and fostering engaged communities.
David Sisson, an independent candidate running for the Arlington County Board in Virginia, gives remarks during the meet and greet in Fairfax, Virginia on July 26, 2026. (Image: Cao Ming/Vision Times)
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