The Predicament of Overseas Democracy Movements and the CCP’s Infiltration Tactics

In June 2002, Chinese pro-democracy leader Wang Bingzhang was kidnapped by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Vietnam and sentenced to life imprisonment. As of today, he has been imprisoned for 20 years. A conference was held in Washington, D.C., on June 30 to discuss Wang Bingzhang's case. Participants at the conference called for the unconditional release of Wang Bingzhang, Gao Zhisheng, and other political prisoners. (Photo by Lin Dan / Dajiyuan)

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), obsessed with its "united front" work and espionage activities, is relentless in its infiltration efforts into the U.S. and other nations. Its infiltration methods are pervasive, penetrating, and exhaustive. Specifically, regarding the overseas democracy movements, the CCP employs various strategies, including infiltration, subversion, and manipulation. Here are some of the key tactics the CCP uses against the overseas democracy movement:

Infiltration and Long-term Subversion: The CCP often plants agents who remain dormant for long periods, only activating when necessary. During the latter part of the Chinese Civil War, several high-ranking nationalist military officers were CCP plants. Similarly, the CCP infiltrated various Chinese democracy movements, such as the 1979 Democracy Wall, the 1986 student movements, and the 1989 nationwide pro-democracy protests. CCP operatives mixed with exiled dissidents and have long been embedded in overseas democratic movements.

Human Wave Tactics: The CCP sends a large number of people to infiltrate overseas democracy movements. On one hand, these movements need manpower to grow, but they operate openly, without the means or resources to vet individuals. As a result, the democracy movement becomes vulnerable to CCP infiltration through sheer numbers.

Inducing Defections: Just as every revolution has defectors, China’s democracy movement is no exception. The arduous nature of the struggle and the slim chances of success make some individuals susceptible to defection. Some turn against the movement in exchange for personal gain, becoming agents for the CCP.

Creating Internal Conflicts and Dividing the Movement: Once infiltrated, the CCP stokes infighting within the democracy movement. Multiple organizations emerge under the same name, refusing to recognize one another and engaging in mutual attacks, often through mudslinging on the internet. This saps the movement’s resources and external support, leaving it in a state of constant internal strife and diminishing its effectiveness.

Overwhelming the Movement with Numbers: The transparency of the democracy movement makes it easy for CCP agents to infiltrate. With their superior numbers, these agents instigate internal Communist-style power struggles, pushing out committed members and taking over leadership positions.

Seizing Control of the Movement: The CCP has often been heard saying, "Rather than letting them (the people) run the democracy movement, we (the CCP) should run it ourselves." The idea is to create a false democracy movement that mirrors the real one, blurring the line between the two. This strategy has created a confusing landscape for the overseas democracy movement.

Setting Traps for Newcomers: CCP agents establish organizations abroad that appear to be pro-democracy groups. Newly arrived dissidents, eager to join the movement, often fall into these traps. Some dissidents find themselves under CCP control both at home and abroad, unaware that they are being monitored by the CCP's security apparatus.

Exploiting Human Weaknesses: The CCP uses bribery as a common tactic. With its control over China's vast financial resources, the CCP uses economic incentives to buy off overseas Chinese, turning them into informants. Some dissidents who once believed in democracy have shifted their rhetoric after being bribed, criticizing lower-level CCP officials while avoiding criticism of the top leadership.

Sexual Entrapment: If monetary incentives fail, the CCP resorts to sexual entrapment. Key democracy leaders like Wang Bingzhang and Peng Ming both fell victim to such traps and were kidnapped by CCP agents in Vietnam and Burma, respectively. Wang Bingzhang was sentenced to life in prison, and Peng Ming died in custody.

Using Emotional Bonds for Manipulation: The CCP manipulates the emotional ties of exiles, using their longing for home or their need to visit sick relatives as leverage. The CCP lures democracy activists back to China, where they are either recruited or neutralized through "soft" co-option or harsher methods.

Adapted from Radio Free Asia.