# The Mayor and Beijing propaganda: How a California Suburb Became a Target for Chinese Influence

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/spy-craft-2136940/the-mayor-and-beijing-propaganda-how-a-california-suburb-became-a-target-for-chinese-influence
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/spy-craft-2136940/the-mayor-and-beijing-propaganda-how-a-california-suburb-became-a-target-for-chinese-influence.md
Podcast: [Spy Craft](https://stenobird.com/podcast/spy-craft-2136940)
Published: 2026-05-13T17:17:02+00:00
Episode link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-mayor-and-beijing-propaganda-how-a-california-suburb-became-a-target-for-chinese-influence--71992679
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/71992679/podcast_1778692260.mp3
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Duration seconds: 246

## Resource

In May 2026, Eileen Wang, the mayor of Arcadia, California, resigned her position and agreed to plead guilty to federal charges of acting as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China. Prosecutors allege that, prior to her election, Wang and her associates operated a community news website under direct instructions from Chinese officials, publishing propaganda and reporting engagement metrics to advance Beijing’s interests. This case offers a sobering examination of foreign influence operations targeting American local government and diaspora communities, raising critical questions about transparency, accountability, and the integrity of democratic institutions.

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## Transcript

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