In a letter dated November 6th, John Moolenaar, the Chairman of the Select Committee on the CCP in the U.S. House of Representatives, urged Columbia University’s Acting President Claire Shipman to immediately halt all exchanges with entities supported by the Chinese Communist Party. Moolenaar specifically called out a student organization within Columbia University named the Greater China Initiative (GCI) for planning a trip to China in January 2026, funded by the China-United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF). According to reports from U.S. intelligence agencies and Congress, CUSEF is considered to be part of the Chinese Communist Party’s united front system, founded in 2008 by former Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa.
The Chairman emphasized that CUSEF is a tool of the Chinese Communist Party’s political warfare designed to shape American perceptions of the Chinese government. He underscored the need to protect the integrity of both students and academic programs at Columbia University by severing all ties with CUSEF and conducting a thorough review of the foreign funding sources and partnerships of student organizations.
Moolenaar stated that lawyers representing CUSEF have registered with the U.S. Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), indicating close ties between the organization and foreign governments.
Referencing a 2023 report by the Select Committee on the CCP titled “United Front Work 101,” Moolenaar highlighted that the Chinese Communist Party’s united front work is described by the Party itself as a “magic weapon,” combining exchanges, influence operations, and intelligence activities. These efforts aim to shape political environments, influence foreign policy towards China, and acquire advanced foreign technologies through a vast network that operates in parallel with China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and intelligence agencies, infiltrating universities, think tanks, civil society groups, and the realm of public opinion.
Moolenaar cautioned that the activities of organizations like the China-United States Exchange Foundation in the U.S. academic and research communities represent just the tip of the iceberg of China’s larger-scale influence operations. While emphasizing the importance of openness and freedom of speech in American higher education, Moolenaar stressed the necessity for vigilance against institutions controlled by the Chinese Communist Party that exploit the openness of the American academic landscape to shape narratives, suppress dissent, and advance China’s political objectives.
He reiterated that universities have a responsibility to protect students from infiltration and exploitation by foreign powers, advocating for the immediate cessation of any cooperation with organizations like CUSEF to safeguard academic freedom and security on campus.