Epoch Times senior reporter Joshua Philipp joined Brighteon.TV host Alex Newman on ''The Sentinel Report" to talk about Beijing's links to Chinese fraternal organizations in the United States. The "Crossroads" host explained how China utilizes these fraternal organizations, or "tongs," for espionage in the show's Jan. 28 episode.
According to Philipp, China's United Front Work Department (UFWD) is in charge of collaborating with tongs to push Beijing's agenda. "They have it in every country in the world. [UFWD] operates through the Chinese consulates and they work through these different [tongs] within the Chinese communities."
The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission elaborated on the UFWD's mission, saying that it "seeks to co-opt ethnic Chinese individuals and communities living outside China." It added: "It is precisely the nature of [UFWD] to seek influence through connections that are difficult to publicly prove and to gain influence that is interwoven with sensitive issues." (Related: Here are the Chinese 'propaganda' centers currently operating in the US.)
"There [are] oil worker tongs, student tongs [and] police tongs. Any kind of institution we have in this country, there's a tong for. These are kind of like what fraternal organizations used to be, where it's a network of individuals. If you need something, you can get it in the tong," said Phillip.
"If someone needs a favor, for example – you have a kid who wants a job in a major company, you go to the tong and say: 'Hey, my kid needs a job.' You give some gifts, payments or whatever – [and] they'll find the person for you."
Philipp added that this also extends to illegal activities such as human trafficking and drug trafficking. He explained: "They can also set it up because of the network within the Chinese mafia system. That's kind of how the Chinese mafia works. You have the legitimate side and the illegitimate side, and it works as a network of individuals."
Philipp: China aims to be the new world hegemon
The Epoch Times senior reporter then explained how the UFWD infiltrated the tongs. "What the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] did through the UFWD is they created liaison offices that approach these organizations … and they work on gaining the loyalty of the tongs." Philipp pointed out that the tongs serve as the "unofficial governing bodies of Chinese communities" that have "deep roots and deep connections" within societal institutions.
"When a tong swears loyalty to them, it means that not only can you go there for crime or business, you can also go [there] to make contact with the CCP. [In turn,] the CCP can tap these networks for anything," Philipp said.
"If they need a spy in a government agency, a spy in the oil workers or who has connections to high-level government officials, they got it. That's the way the tongs work. That's how both Chinese organized crime and subversion works – it's through that network."
In response to Newman's question about what the CCP's ultimate goal was, Philipp said: "The CCP's goal is very clear – how they talk about becoming the world hegemon, which is maybe a less nefarious-sounding way of saying they want to control the world. It sounds nicer to say 'I want to be the world hegemon' than saying 'I want to conquer the world.'"
The "Crossroads" host added that Beijing sees the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as an opportunity to achieve that goal. "They want to be the ones who decide the future governing system of the world, and they're viewing COVID-19 as a strategic opportunity for that."
Philipp also elaborated on what China describes as COVID-19 "being a World War III scenario," which is different from what people would normally think of when it comes to wars.
"When they say WWIII scenario, they mean that WWI remade the global system of government. After WWII, the global system of government changed [again.] They believe the COVID-19 situation is also going to change the world system of government."
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Watch the full Jan. 28 episode of "The Sentinel Report" below. Catch new episodes of the program every Friday at 4-5 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.
CommunistChina.news has more about China's espionage efforts in the United States.
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