The United States Military Academy at West Point hosted the chairman of the Chinese Communist Party’s top propaganda effort that seeks to “influence foreign governments and other actors to take actions or adopt positions supportive of Beijing’s preferred policies,” according to the National Pulse.
The Academy also participated in an exchange program with state-run Chinese universities, including some accused of being espionage and cyber attack training grounds.
But it doesn’t stop there. West Point leadership also visited the China-based schools in efforts to increase collaboration efforts, including a former superintendent “inviting national defense students at Peking University to attend the annual military training and competition at USMA.”
The group - the China United States-Exchange Foundation - saw founder Tung Chee-hwa speak on West Point’s campus in 2012.
Tung also serves as the Vice-Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, which is the “highest-ranking entity overseeing” China’s United Work Front.
In a speech, Tung urged that “multilateral cooperation” is “crucial.”
“Building strategic mutual trust is about reaching a comprehensive and accurate understanding of each other’s path of development, strategic intention and foreign policy. It is also about understanding each other’s history, culture and values. Developing trust takes understanding, and developing understanding takes an active commitment to listening to and respecting each other’s goals and needs...we should encourage two-way tourism; encourage two-way exchanges of arts, cultures and sports; encourage exchange of visits of scholars and students...the more we meet, the more we understand each other, the more we can create trust,” he said.
The effort aims to “co-opt and neutralize sources of potential opposition to the policies and authority of its ruling Chinese Communist Party” and “influence overseas Chinese communities, foreign governments and other actors to take actions or adopt positions supportive of Beijing’s preferred policies,” per a U.S. government report.
The exchange foundation has the goal to “effectively disseminate positive messages to the media, key influencers and opinion leaders, and the general public” regarding the Chinese Communist Party.
The organization has previously sponsored trips to China for mainstream corporate media outlets in exchange for “favorable coverage.”
Indeed, West Point leadership has collaborated with state-run Chinese universities, such as Peking University and Tsinghua University.
Tsinghua has a “clear connection between them and the state administration for technology and industry in discussions on what they can do to help the national security,” according to former Senior Intelligence Officer in the Defense Intelligence Agency and State Department Official Nicholas Eftimiades.
The school also launched cyberattacks against the U.S. government.
Perhaps the most important question: has the prominent West Point been compromised and infiltrated by the Chinese government?
