HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_020471.jpg

12

Influence Efforts after Establishing Official Relations, 1979–1988

As the Carter administration began moving toward full diplomatic recognition of the
PRC, it withheld many of the details about its plans from Congress. One of the largest
unresolved issues was the fate of Taiwan, in which Congress took a special interest. The
United States had already dropped recognition of Taiwan at the United Nations, and now
many in Congress worried that the United States would move to completely abandon the
island. In response, Congress passed the Taiwan Relations Act in 1979, which underlined
the importance of the United States keeping an ongoing relationship with Taiwan and
continuing to provide weapons for its defense.

After formal diplomatic relations were reestablished, China responded in the 1980s by
expanding the size and capacity of its Washington embassy staff dedicated to dealing with
Congress. Chinese officials lobbying Congress viewed with dismay the rise of pro-Taiwan
independence groups among Taiwanese Americans, such as the Formosan Association
for Public Affairs, which demonstrated an ability to promote their agenda despite the
fact that the United States had broken ties with Taiwan. Beijing would go on to borrow a
page from the Nationalist government's playbook by beefing up a diplomatic arm capable
of building closer relations with important congressional members and staffers.¹ Since
then, the Chinese government has welcomed numerous US delegations composed of both
congressional members and staffers. The main host in China for such delegations has been
the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA).² Founded in December 1949, this
organization focuses on international issues and foreign policy research and on conducting
international exchanges of officials and expanding people-to-people diplomatic activities.
This institute also works to establish contacts with foreign political activists, diplomats,
and other distinguished individuals while organizing public lectures and symposiums on
academic subjects and international policy affairs.

CPIFA is a so-called united front organization, similar to those found in the former Soviet
Union and other Leninist states that seek to opportunistically build alliances wherever
they can. Such organizations, or GONGOs ("government-organized non-governmental
organizations"), carry out government-directed policies and cooperative initiatives with
influential foreigners without being perceived as a formal part of the Chinese government.
CPIFA's experience in dealing with foreign visitors is broad. Between 1972 and 2002, it
hosted more than four thousand leading Americans in China. Being well connected with
the Chinese government's State Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it is positioned
to organize meetings with high-level officials when the Party deems it in its interest to do
so. The funding arrangements for congressional staff delegations visiting China usually
provide for their travel to be paid by the US side, so as to avoid falling victim to ethics
committees and overseers or violating rules regarding conflicts of interest and foreign
lobbying. CPIFA often assumed in-country expenses.

Congress
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_020471