The Harvard Law professor, who was called to testify in former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial by the Democrats, paid a visit to the Shanghai Institutes of International Studies (SIIS) and met with officials from the state-run think tank.
According to the U.S.-China Securitization Initiative, the think tank has extensive links to the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front Work Department, which aims to “co-opt and neutralize sources of potential opposition to its ruling Chinese Communist Party’s policies and authority” and “influence foreign governments and other actors to take actions or adopt positions supportive of Beijing’s preferred policies.”
The Vice-Chairman of the “highest-ranking body overseeing” this initiative sits on the think tank’s board, has attended SIIS events on several occasions, including its 50th anniversary, has hosted SIIS leaders at his events, and has even sponsored SIIS research.
According to Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) filings with the Department of Justice, Tung is also the Founding Chairman of the China-United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF), which aims to “effectively disseminate positive messages to the media, key influencers and opinion leaders, and the general public” about the Chinese Communist Party.
CUSEF has recently been disclosed by The National Pulse to be funding trips to China for major corporate media outlets in return for “favorable coverage” – a scheme in which SIIS has previously engaged.