A Biden official collaborated with a Chinese influence group to undermine tariff negotiations with the US.
More and more Americans are now speaking of high treason, in the shadow of the shocking revelations coming to light about the team of former President Joe Biden.
When President Donald Trump imposed strict tariffs on Chinese imports, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) did not limit itself to economic retaliation but launched an information war, using American insiders to disseminate the narrative that the tariffs were unnecessary and self-defeating.
One of the most prominent advocates of this campaign is Rick Waters, a former high-ranking US diplomat who served as director of the US State Department's China House. Since his departure from the government, Waters has become a credible propagandist for Beijing's positions, appearing in CCP-linked influence groups and using Western media to promote pro-China stances that undermine Trump's trade strategy.
Beijing's confidant
In late 2024, Waters participated in an official interview for the China–US Focus platform, which is managed by the China–United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF). In the interview, he called for "restraint" and "dialogue," insisting that "both sides must avoid confrontation," using precisely Beijing's diplomatic line.
Shortly thereafter, he appeared as a keynote speaker at the 2024 U.S.–China Hong Kong Forum, another event organized by CUSEF that brought together CCP officials, Hong Kong elites, and selected Western figures for "private dialogue." Although the agenda promised "mutual respect" and "avenues for cooperation," the guest list indicated a different reality.
CUSEF was founded by Tung Chee-hwa, Vice Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the institutional body under the CCP's United Front Work Department. The United Front is responsible for foreign influence operations and outreach to foreign elites.
United front - China's covert Ministry of Influence
The United Front Work Department (UFWD), according to reports from American and allied intelligence agencies, operates as the CCP's "covert ministry of influence." Its mandate is to cultivate foreign elites, shape overseas media, and blur the lines between diplomacy, propaganda, and espionage.
According to the U.S.–China Economic and Security Review Commission, the UFWD is the "primary organization coordinating influence operations against foreign elites, media, and businesses." Its mission is to "unite all forces" to serve China's goals, cultivating Western politicians, academics, and journalists who can normalize the global perception of the CCP within democratic systems.
CUSEF: The tip of the spear
CUSEF acts as the primary vanguard of the United Front's influence operations in the US. It was founded in Hong Kong but has deep roots in American institutions. It funds journalists' missions, partnerships with think tanks, and organizes private discussions with American officials, all aimed at promoting "constructive engagement" while advancing Beijing's interests.
A Senate investigation had labeled CUSEF's activities as a national security threat, due to its continuous efforts to "influence media narratives" and secure "favorable coverage" for China.
CUSEF's shadow diplomacy
Waters' participation in the Hong Kong forum raises serious counter-intelligence questions. The fact that there were private, unrecorded meetings between American and Chinese officials offered Beijing a rare opportunity to map US political networks and test new narratives through friendly intermediaries.
Even if Waters' expenses or fees were covered under "academic" terms, the picture is unsettling. For a former diplomat with direct access to issues such as Taiwan, trade, and coordinated espionage, accepting trips or benefits from a foreign power linked to a rival state constitutes a clear lapse in judgment.
Supporting China in Western media
Following his collaboration with CUSEF, Waters began to promote Beijing's line through major Western media outlets.
In an article in April 2025 for the Carnegie Endowment, he dismissed Trump's tariffs as "unsustainable" and argued that Washington was overestimating its power while Beijing would "remain unmoved." He presented China as disciplined and strategic, while America was spontaneous and politically driven.
In the South China Morning Post, he stated that "anti-China sentiment in Washington does not equal consensus," implying that Trump's policies were extreme and unrepresentative of broader opinion. The same point was made in an interview with NBC News, where he argued that Trump's tariffs were "backfiring" and "hurting American consumers."
Influence in Western media
Chinese state media quickly moved to promote Waters' comments, using them to validate the Chinese narrative that "the tariff war is not about winning." His statements were used to confirm the image of the US as disorganized and self-defeating.
Waters' trajectory – from US State Department official to China propagandist and favorable mention by Chinese state media – reveals how Beijing uses credibility, flattery, and access to penetrate the American information ecosystem. Trump's tariffs target the Chinese economy, while Beijing's reaction focuses on American elites and shifting the narrative in public discourse.
www.bankingnews.gr
When President Donald Trump imposed strict tariffs on Chinese imports, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) did not limit itself to economic retaliation but launched an information war, using American insiders to disseminate the narrative that the tariffs were unnecessary and self-defeating.
One of the most prominent advocates of this campaign is Rick Waters, a former high-ranking US diplomat who served as director of the US State Department's China House. Since his departure from the government, Waters has become a credible propagandist for Beijing's positions, appearing in CCP-linked influence groups and using Western media to promote pro-China stances that undermine Trump's trade strategy.
Beijing's confidant
In late 2024, Waters participated in an official interview for the China–US Focus platform, which is managed by the China–United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF). In the interview, he called for "restraint" and "dialogue," insisting that "both sides must avoid confrontation," using precisely Beijing's diplomatic line.
Shortly thereafter, he appeared as a keynote speaker at the 2024 U.S.–China Hong Kong Forum, another event organized by CUSEF that brought together CCP officials, Hong Kong elites, and selected Western figures for "private dialogue." Although the agenda promised "mutual respect" and "avenues for cooperation," the guest list indicated a different reality.
CUSEF was founded by Tung Chee-hwa, Vice Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the institutional body under the CCP's United Front Work Department. The United Front is responsible for foreign influence operations and outreach to foreign elites.
United front - China's covert Ministry of Influence
The United Front Work Department (UFWD), according to reports from American and allied intelligence agencies, operates as the CCP's "covert ministry of influence." Its mandate is to cultivate foreign elites, shape overseas media, and blur the lines between diplomacy, propaganda, and espionage.
According to the U.S.–China Economic and Security Review Commission, the UFWD is the "primary organization coordinating influence operations against foreign elites, media, and businesses." Its mission is to "unite all forces" to serve China's goals, cultivating Western politicians, academics, and journalists who can normalize the global perception of the CCP within democratic systems.
CUSEF: The tip of the spear
CUSEF acts as the primary vanguard of the United Front's influence operations in the US. It was founded in Hong Kong but has deep roots in American institutions. It funds journalists' missions, partnerships with think tanks, and organizes private discussions with American officials, all aimed at promoting "constructive engagement" while advancing Beijing's interests.
A Senate investigation had labeled CUSEF's activities as a national security threat, due to its continuous efforts to "influence media narratives" and secure "favorable coverage" for China.
CUSEF's shadow diplomacy
Waters' participation in the Hong Kong forum raises serious counter-intelligence questions. The fact that there were private, unrecorded meetings between American and Chinese officials offered Beijing a rare opportunity to map US political networks and test new narratives through friendly intermediaries.
Even if Waters' expenses or fees were covered under "academic" terms, the picture is unsettling. For a former diplomat with direct access to issues such as Taiwan, trade, and coordinated espionage, accepting trips or benefits from a foreign power linked to a rival state constitutes a clear lapse in judgment.
Supporting China in Western media
Following his collaboration with CUSEF, Waters began to promote Beijing's line through major Western media outlets.
In an article in April 2025 for the Carnegie Endowment, he dismissed Trump's tariffs as "unsustainable" and argued that Washington was overestimating its power while Beijing would "remain unmoved." He presented China as disciplined and strategic, while America was spontaneous and politically driven.
In the South China Morning Post, he stated that "anti-China sentiment in Washington does not equal consensus," implying that Trump's policies were extreme and unrepresentative of broader opinion. The same point was made in an interview with NBC News, where he argued that Trump's tariffs were "backfiring" and "hurting American consumers."
Influence in Western media
Chinese state media quickly moved to promote Waters' comments, using them to validate the Chinese narrative that "the tariff war is not about winning." His statements were used to confirm the image of the US as disorganized and self-defeating.
Waters' trajectory – from US State Department official to China propagandist and favorable mention by Chinese state media – reveals how Beijing uses credibility, flattery, and access to penetrate the American information ecosystem. Trump's tariffs target the Chinese economy, while Beijing's reaction focuses on American elites and shifting the narrative in public discourse.
www.bankingnews.gr
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