So let me overlay a couple of stories from my time in China. I was told numerous times in subtle ways that if I used my increasing prominence to spread positivity about China I could make a lot more money and really raise my prominence. I refused to sign the Party 1/n
charter or say how great and wonderful Xi was. If you appear in Chinese state media it is because you have been approved by the Party and Propaganda department as trustworthy to say what the Party wants people inside and outside of China to hear. If you are from a DC 2/n
Think tank or Ivy League professor being paraded on Chinese state media or writing opeds in China Daily I know what happened. That isn't an accident. Second, they pay you very well and frequently in untraceable ways. Once I was invited to an official conference and 3/n
offered me an honorarium. I was a relative nobody compared to US "thinkers" China state media trots out but they were trying to impress me. I expected a wire transfer with a receipt. A pretty girl came to my room with an envelope of cash asking if there was anything else 4/n
I needed. I was stunned. Knowing full well the situation, I assured her I did not, thanked her, and shut the door. It was not a major sum of money but neither insignificant but I made sure to report it on my taxes. During that weekend, except for my hotel room I had 5/n
1-2 girls with me the entire time from the time I got off the plane until I got back on the plane. I can say I've heard rumors about how much other people get and it was much MUCH MUCH more than I got. I know what type of money Chinese governments, schools, and companies 6/n
Pay for the credibility of someone flying in from DC/NYC and writing a state media approved piece about the good things that are going on somewhere. No, it isn't McCarthyism because even on US tax documents we have record of people taking CCP linked money. 7/n
You want to criticize Russia? Fine. You want to criticize Saudi Arabia? Go for it. You want to criticze Trump? Knock him like a pinata for all I care. However, you are a flaming hypocrite if you turn and accept CCP linked money and defend them. I know what happens in China.
