The non-profit organization, CodePink, based in California, United States, continued its “China Tour” activities this week aimed at promoting positive propaganda for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Experts on China issues have warned that Beijing is using Americans instead of directly conducting propaganda in the United States.
At the same time, a grand jury investigation into the funding network of Neville Roy Singham, a wealthy individual currently residing in Shanghai, who is one of the financial supporters of the organization, is still ongoing in the United States.
CodePink stated on its website that participants of the “China Tour” will be greeted by “local comrades” in Shanghai, led by the organization’s co-founders Benjamin and Evans.
The itinerary includes visits to the “Red Memorial Museum,” museums, rural development projects to understand the “revolutionary history” of the communist country and marvel at the achievements of socialist development.
On October 11th, CodePink posted a video on social media showing co-founder Benjamin at the airport, advocating for the organization’s “China is not our enemy” campaign.
On October 12th, another video was released showing Benjamin praising the good public security outside a university in China, expressing excitement that in China, one does not need to worry about items like umbrellas or bicycles being stolen even if left unattended, calling it astonishing.
According to the organization, the China trip consists of a 12-day, 11-night itinerary visiting Shanghai, Chongqing, Zunyi, Loushanguan, Maotai Town, and Guiyang, with an estimated cost of $3000 to $4000 per person.
According to a report from Fox News Digital on October 13th, Jodie Evans, co-founder of CodePink, will be visiting China to see her husband, Neville Roy Singham, a 72-year-old American technology tycoon residing in Shanghai.
Singham is known to be a Marxist and a supporter of the Chinese Communist Party. Photos revealed Singham attending a CCP conference in China in 2023 aimed at enhancing international propaganda efforts, with a name tag displaying his name in both Chinese and English.
Fox News investigation indicated that Singham sold a tech company for around $785 million in 2017, subsequently channeling $278 million to various non-profit organizations, including CodePink.
In June of this year, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Southern District of New York initiated a grand jury investigation into Singham and his network for alleged money laundering, bank fraud, and telecommunications fraud.
Singham and CodePink have both denied receiving directives from the Chinese government. Singham claimed his actions stemmed from personal political beliefs, while Benjamin stated that CodePink has not directly accepted funding from the CCP.
As of now, Singham and the associated organizations have not faced criminal prosecution for these accusations.
During a testimony before Congress in mid-September, Matthew Johnson, a senior researcher at the Jamestown Foundation, warned that foreign adversaries have been using American non-profit organizations and other institutions to influence public opinion and policies in the U.S.
He informed lawmakers that after holding a conference in Beijing in 2020, CodePink launched the “China is not our enemy” movement in the United States.
Subsequently, the organization has continued its advocacy activities focused on positive CCP propaganda and organized related “China Tour” travel groups.