Falun Gong Information Center Spokesperson Warns Against CCP Manipulation of U.S. Laws

On July 21, 2026, the "China Freedom and U.S.-Taiwan Security Forum" took place in the U.S. Capitol. The fourth forum focused on addressing issues such as the CCP's organ harvesting practices. The image features Zhang Erping during his speech. (Zhang Yi / The Dajiyuan)

[People News] Zhang Erping, spokesperson for the Falun Dafa Information Center, emphasized that the U.S. government must remain alert to the CCP's attempts to manipulate the American legal system and carry out transnational repression.

Zhang made these remarks at a forum in the U.S. Capitol on July 21. He noted that following the establishment of the "North America Office for Combating Falun Gong" by the CCP's Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of State Security, the CCP has engaged in at least three forms of transnational repression against Falun Gong groups. These include weaponizing the U.S. legal system, exploiting media freedoms, and employing violent intimidation tactics.

The CCP's Weaponization of the U.S. Legal System Against Falun Gong

Zhang stated, "First, the democratic system, particularly the legal system, has been weaponized by the CCP."

"The CCP is indeed weaponizing our legal system to prosecute American organizations and citizens."

Yuan Hongbing, a prominent legal scholar and former professor at Peking University now living in Australia, previously informed The Dajiyuan that during a meeting held prior to the CCP's 20th National Congress in 2022, Xi Jinping proposed an upgraded strategy for transnational repression against Falun Gong, which includes launching legal and media campaigns against Falun Gong and Shen Yun Performing Arts.

The CCP's effort to revoke Shen Yun's status as a legitimate nonprofit organization serves as a prime example of this legal warfare.

On July 25, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that two Chinese men had confessed to acting as agents for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in an effort to undermine Shen Yun Performing Arts, which is based in New York.

Founded in 2006, Shen Yun is recognized as the world's premier company for Chinese classical dance and traditional music. Its mission is to revive 5,000 years of divinely inspired Chinese culture, 'showing China before communism.' Each year, Shen Yun performs in over 200 cities across five continents, captivating more than a million audience members and gaining favor among mainstream audiences, which has raised concerns for the CCP. Since its inception in 2006, the CCP's international suppression efforts against Shen Yun have been relentless.

Court records indicate that the two Chinese men attempted to bribe an undercover U.S. agent, whom they mistakenly believed to be an IRS official, with the goal of revoking Shen Yun's nonprofit status. Prosecutors disclosed during the trial that this marked the first instance in which Shen Yun was explicitly identified as a victim in related cases.

Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, remarked that this case is part of 'malicious transnational suppression attempts by foreign forces on U.S. soil.'

Zhang Erping stated, 'They (the CCP) are trying to leverage influence, abusing the (U.S.) system, legal framework, public institutions, and regulatory processes to drain the resources of targeted groups through coordinated lawsuits, politically motivated complaints, and harassment tactics.

'Moreover, this is not solely directed at Falun Gong; other groups are also being affected.

Consequently, the aim is often not to achieve victory in court, but rather to silence critics by imposing economic burdens, draining their energy, tarnishing their reputations, and discouraging participation.

"Democratic legal systems should remain open and fair, but they must also be vigilant against manipulation by foreign entities like the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)," he stated.

The CCP is known to manipulate narratives through Western media to provoke legal actions.

Zhang Erping asserts that the CCP seeks to leverage Western liberal media platforms to control media narratives and influence public opinion.

He remarked, "The CCP's second method of transnational repression involves attempting to utilize the platforms of free media.

"Open societies cherish free media because the truth ultimately depends on independent investigation and inquiry. However, the CCP has taken advantage of this openness to shape public opinion through disinformation campaigns, coordinated influence efforts, and manipulated narratives, all while concealing its role in orchestrating these actions behind the scenes."

In recent years, there have been numerous instances of the CCP using Western liberal media to undermine the Falun Gong group, with The New York Times receiving considerable scrutiny.

Since March 2024, The New York Times has published at least 12 articles criticizing Shen Yun and Falun Gong.

In its coverage, The New York Times alleges that Shen Yun has not compensated student performers adequately. The New York State Department of Labor has initiated an investigation into the nonprofit organization; however, the article concedes that the state's laws regarding minor performers "do not address whether performers should be compensated or the amount they should receive."

On November 7, 2024, Shen Yun Performing Arts released a statement asserting that an article in The New York Times is "full of falsehoods" and "seriously distorts our organization's practices and culture, attempting to create a misleading impression that our company 'relies on minors and youth.' This claim is not factual and is based on the personal statements of a few disgruntled former artists." 

In its statement, Shen Yun noted that 85% of the artists in its performing group are adults, while the remaining positions are available to "talented young individuals" studying at its two affiliated institutions—Fei Tian College and Fei Tian Academy of the Arts. 

Shen Yun further emphasized that regarding compensation, all students at Fei Tian receive full scholarships, "which cover room and board, totaling approximately $50,000 per year. During tours, all expenses are borne by the company, including accommodations in high-end hotels, meals, and even most entertainment activities." 

According to the Shen Yun website (link), on April 8, 2026, the New York State Department of Labor published the findings of its investigation. The Department concluded that Shen Yun did not violate any laws concerning the treatment, working conditions, or compensation of minor performers. It determined that the wages owed were zero dollars, and the amount of underpaid wages was also zero dollars.

The New York State Department of Labor's investigation revealed that there were indeed omissions in certain record-keeping and administrative notification requirements; these issues have since been addressed. Shen Yun emphasizes the importance of maintaining strict standards in these areas and is grateful for the opportunity to further ensure that its practices consistently reflect the high standards it strives for in all aspects.

A Chinese YouTuber has boasted in several posts on X about filing complaints against Shen Yun with New York state government departments, hoping to incite legal action against the arts troupe and encouraging others to follow suit. This individual claimed to have provided several interviewees to The New York Times.

In 2024, following the publication of articles by The New York Times attacking Falun Gong and Shen Yun, these articles were widely disseminated on social media platform X by the machinery of the Chinese Communist Party. Notably, a major attack article in Chinese became the most shared New York Times article on the X platform in 2024. According to public statistics from BuzzSumo, a prominent independent community media analysis tool based in Brighton, UK, the article was retweeted and shared over 28,000 times on X, with 80% of those shares coming from accounts with no followers, often referred to as zombie accounts.

Zhang Erping stated, 'According to research by Harvard University professor Gary King, the Chinese Communist regime generates an estimated 448 million false social media comments each year.'

'The goal of the (Chinese Communist Party) is not only to target Falun Gong but also to undermine the public's choices.'

There have been violent threats, including bomb threats, directed at Shen Yun, Falun Gong, and their supporters.

Zhang Erping stated, "Thirdly, over the past few years, we have witnessed a rise in threats against the Falun Gong group, Shen Yun, and theaters, including bomb threats and mass shooting threats. The Kennedy Center has also made headlines due to bomb threats.

"We have received bomb threats, and there have been threats to stop Shen Yun's performances.

"Additionally, there are threats directed at elected officials, including President Trump, the Prime Ministers of the UK and Australia, as well as members of Congress who support Falun Gong."

According to the Falun Dafa Information Center's report on August 12, 2026, since March 2024, there have been 308 instances of death threats and bomb threats against Falun Gong, Shen Yun, and their supporters, including threats against government officials and agencies.

Zhang Erping believes these threats pose a significant risk to U.S. national security.

He remarked, "When foreign actors attempt to intimidate Americans on U.S. soil, this transcends a mere human rights issue. It is fundamentally a national security concern."

Why Americans should pay attention to the CCP's transnational repression

"Why should this issue matter to Americans and the U.S.? Some may wonder why Congress should be concerned?" Zhang Erping asked.

He explained, "The answer is quite simple"—when Communist China successfully intimidates American religious practitioners today, the next targets could be journalists, human rights advocates, and universities...

He cited Confucius Institutes as an example. "Some organizations have rebranded themselves and even infiltrated high schools."

Zhang Erping emphasized that safeguarding Falun Gong and Shen Yun from the transnational repression by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is essential for upholding the basic freedoms and rights that the Constitution grants to every individual.

He remarked, "Mass persecution targeting one group seldom remains limited to that group indefinitely.

"History shows us that unless it is curtailed, the influence of communism will perpetually expand."

Zhang Erping asserted that the United States must ensure that "foreign governments cannot engage in intimidation activities within our borders, in our own backyard."

"Thus, protecting Falun Gong is not about providing it with special privileges, but rather about defending the constitutional freedoms of all individuals.

"This is crucial for maintaining the integrity of our courts; we cannot permit foreign entities to exploit our judicial system against American citizens.

"It also concerns the protection of religious freedom and freedom of speech."

(Reported by Dajiyuan journalist Zhang Yi from Washington, D.C.)
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