Recently leaked screenshots from multiple WeChat groups and internal recruitment messages show that there are organized efforts to mobilize Chinese nationals to participate in a “welcome event” for Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to Washington, D.C. on September 24th.
One leaked WeChat group screenshot indicates that the event is scheduled from September 22nd to 26th, funded by the “Chinese Embassy and Chamber of Commerce,” offering participants free plane tickets, accommodations, and more. Another recruitment message, bearing the name of “** Chamber of Commerce,” recruits participants under the guise of “welcoming with flags,” claiming to provide free meals, accommodations, transportation, along with an $80 “stipend,” open to individuals under 70 years old on a first-come, first-served basis.
In parallel, an account named “Teacher Li is not Your Teacher” shared a post yesterday referring to the organization of students and parents from a Chinese school in Delaware to participate in welcoming Xi Jinping’s event.
The post shared a screenshot allegedly from the “Delaware ** Chinese School” WeChat group, indicating that the school announced “additional accommodation spots” for the welcome event on September 23rd and 24th on a first-come, first-served basis, with the final accommodation list confirmed by the organizing committee.
According to the screenshot, the costs for buses, meals on September 23rd, accommodations, and meals on September 24th are all managed by the “event organizing committee.” Interested participants are required to register by September 13th.
It is currently unknown from publicly available information the specific scale of the school’s organized activities and which organization or institution will cover the event’s expenses.
These developments have sparked extensive discussions on social media platforms. Many netizens question the authenticity of such activities, pointing out that when transportation and accommodations are fully covered by the organizing committee, such activities cannot be considered as a “spontaneous” act within the Chinese community, suggesting that incentivizing people essentially turns them into “paid actors,” serving as part of traditional foreign propaganda and united front work.
Some have noted that these welcoming groups often serve a “counteraction” role during official receptions, where mobilized personnel use a large number of red flags, human walls, and loudspeakers to drown out protest slogans and chants to ensure that leaders do not encounter opposition voices.
The inclusion of underage students in these mobilizations has drawn criticism from parents, who view it as involving schools and children in political performances. Some netizens have even suggested reporting such activities to US law enforcement agencies like the FBI.
Compared to the low-key visits by democratically elected leaders that are subject to public scrutiny, critics condemn the extravagant efforts to create a facade of “universal welcome,” reflecting the authoritarian regime’s obsession with personal cult worship and maintaining a facade of “false prosperity.”
This is not the first time that overseas Chinese organizations’ mobilization efforts have come to light. During the APEC summit in San Francisco in 2023, US media previously exposed the operations involving the Chinese consulate and pro-Communist overseas groups mobilizing individuals. With Xi Jinping planning another visit to the US, similar recruitment messages within the overseas Chinese community have once again stirred up conversations among some Chinese diaspora members.
Some individuals caution their compatriots, warning that US law enforcement and intelligence agencies may monitor and document these activities, jesting that the $80 stipend adjusted for inflation is now considered “too low,” questioning whether funds are being withheld at multiple levels.
A representative from a Chinese consulate in the US recently visited a local overseas Chinese organization, urging them to participate in the “Xi Jinping Welcome Event.” However, the organization, with a longstanding history under the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, declined participation in such activities.
In another account, a Chinese resident from Los Angeles recalled an incident from years ago when a group from a Teochew-origin overseas Chinese organization in Southern California joined a welcoming team during Xi Jinping’s visit to San Francisco. Despite being a member of the association, he was unaware of the event until after it concluded, seeing photos and award banquets shared in private WeChat groups. He highlighted that organizers deliberately avoided public groups to ensure the smooth operation of activities, targeting specific individuals privately.
As the date for the US-China leader summit approaches, supporters and dissenters alike are expected to gather outside the secure zone, while the behind-the-scenes mobilization controversy has already heightened the overseas public opinion battle preceding the Chinese Communist Party leader’s visit to the United States.