A news organization that the Department of Justice has forced to register as a foreign agent has been praised by Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom for its “journalistic integrity.”
The DOJ ruled that Sing Tao, which publishes newspapers in New York state and California, must register as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, according to a recent federal filing.
The news organization’s owners claim that it is privately owned and not operated by the Chinese government.
However, the filing said that over 50 percent of Sing Tao’s U.S. content is purchased from the Chinese company Star Production (Shenzhen) Ltd. China operates with very tight controls over its media organizations.
The DOJ ruled that Sing Tao’s brand of journalism “constitutes political activity for purposes of the FARA.” The company’s American operations are a subsidiary of its Hong Kong-based parent, according to Axios.
The Washington Free Beacon reported Monday that Newsom had spoken earlier this month at the newspaper’s annual gala.
The Democrat praised Sing Tao for its supposed “journalistic integrity” and for providing readers with “balanced news stories,” according to the report.
.@GavinNewsom earlier this month spoke at the annual gala for a pro-Beijing newspaper that has registered as a foreign agent of China due to its influence activities in the United States.
Via @ChuckRossDC and @jackbeyrer https://t.co/utTvq4xMZL
— Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) August 30, 2021
“Joseph, your work has been a labor of service — not only to the Chinese American community throughout the Bay Area but all throughout Northern California community as well,” Newsom said in comments addressed to editor Joseph Leung, according to Fox News.
“I want to commend you and your incredible staff, your leadership team at Sing Tao Daily for your dedication to journalistic integrity and for providing balanced news stories to Chinese Americans and beyond,” he said.
Comments from Radio Free Asia spoke to the news organization’s links to the Chinese Communist Party.
Joseph Long, a former assistant editor in chief for Hong Kong’s pro-China Commercial Daily, said it is a “fairly open secret that it is an underground CCP organization.”
“Based on my understanding of the CCP system and Sing Tao, I can say with certainty that some people who have taken on the functions of the United Front Work Department also do United Front work among the Chinese community in the United States,” he said.
#recallgavinnewsom has just as many ties to China as does Biden…Newsom is pure scandal and wrong for CA. He has abused every citizen of this state! This is not political this is about Incompetence! https://t.co/w3JsmJWB29
— @ralphieboy (@Realralphieboy) August 30, 2021
Radio Free Asia said two members of the news organization’s board are members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, which advises the National People’s Congress.
In its reporting on the news organization, the Free Beacon noted that Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York has praised the publication and taken out ads in it as well, as has Democratic Rep. Grace Meng of New York.
Chesa Boudin, the district attorney of San Francisco, also reportedly spoke at the Sing Tao gala.
Our campaign has been endorsed by Sing Tao Daily San Francisco, the largest circulation Chinese language paper in the Bay Area.
Thank you @SingTaoDaily_SF for your endorsement! pic.twitter.com/470Q9jzey0
— Chesa Boudin 博徹思 (@chesaboudin) October 17, 2019
Newsom is facing a recall election on Sept. 14.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
