מחקר: מעל 2,000 ארגונים הקשורים למשטר הסיני פועלים בארה"ב, בקנדה, בבריטניה ובגרמניה

According to a new study, over 2,000 groups linked to the Chinese Communist Party are operating in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Germany. A D.C.-based think tank, the Jamestown Foundation, released a report last week on how these groups are reshaping Western societies. A new report from the Jamestown Foundation warns that the Chinese Communist Party is using a massive global network to influence politics into democratic countries, including the United States. The report maps more than 2,000 organizations linked to the CCP's United Front Work Department, a system designed to impose the CCP's influence and ideology without using force. The party uses this system to shape political, social and economic environments in ways that serve the party's goal, which is becoming the dominant global power and advancing claims such as the annexation of Taiwan. The report says the organizations often look legitimate, such as cultural groups, business and trade associations, professional societies, schools and Chinese-language media. Researchers say much of the influence effort isn't obvious and isn't illegal activity. Much of the United Front work happens through informal ties, such as personal relationships, invitation to China, honorary titles and privilege access. Though the press conference was held in Canada, the report says the same United Front influence is active in the United States and other democracies. Jamestown fellow Cheryl Yu says this isn't about ethnicity, it's about the CCP's influence operations. This is not a question of ethnicity, it is a question of state-directed political influence inside a democracy. And protecting targeted communities is part of protecting our democratic institutions. Jamestown president Peter Mattis says the danger is that these groups can end up When we let some of these leaders represent whole communities, we are letting the party take away the voice of our citizens. And they're using the legitimacy of our citizens to put the party's voice and Beijing's perspective into our politics, into our decision-making. Researchers say recognizing how these networks operate is key to protecting societies from foreign influence. Christina Corona, NTD News.