Feature: Documents Detail Chinese Communist Party Outreach to American Communist Activists

Have you wondered how Socialists/Marxists/Communists have taken hold of the Democrat Party, and have won key elections? A series of public documents, party publications and official statements describe an ongoing relationship between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Communist Party USA (CPUSA), including political exchanges, educational programs and labor organizing efforts that critics say are designed to expand Beijing’s influence inside the United States.

The following is based on the reporting of Natalie Winters.

The documents center on Cameron Harrison, a Detroit labor activist and member of CPUSA’s Labor Commission, who traveled to China in May 2026 as the American representative on a two-week program organized by the CCP’s International Department, the office responsible for maintaining ties with foreign political parties.

According to Harrison’s own published account, the delegation brought together young communist representatives from Europe and North America for visits to factories, villages and development projects while receiving briefings from senior CCP officials on what participants described as “socialism with Chinese characteristics.”

Among those addressing the delegation was Jin Xin, a vice minister within the CCP International Department, who reportedly argued that socialist movements offer long-term political solutions while conservative parties provide only temporary answers. Harrison later described the trip as a “transformative experience.”

Labor Movement Focus

After returning to the United States, Harrison co-authored an article in People’s World, a publication affiliated with the American communist movement, criticizing an AFL-CIO convention resolution that blamed Chinese trade practices for the decline of the U.S. shipbuilding industry.

The article argued that American corporations—not China—were primarily responsible for manufacturing losses and warned against what the authors described as anti-China rhetoric within organized labor. It called for stronger international solidarity among workers rather than confrontation with Beijing.

Similar themes later appeared in a report presented to CPUSA’s National Committee by its Labor Commission.

The report encouraged party members to become more active within labor unions, local labor councils and voter-registration efforts while recruiting members into strategic industries, including manufacturing, logistics, health care and warehouse operations. It also discussed expanding Communist Party presence in union workplaces and developing future political candidates through grassroots organizing.

Longstanding Party Relationship

The Harrison delegation was not presented as an isolated event.

Public records show that CPUSA and the CCP have maintained formal contacts for years.

In 2021, leaders from both parties participated in an official virtual meeting celebrating what CPUSA described as a long-standing relationship between the organizations. According to CPUSA’s account, the discussion focused on strengthening cooperation and exchanging views on political organizing.

That same year, the party hosted an online forum featuring Shen Ning, an official with the North American Bureau of the CCP International Department, who discussed China’s political system and the CCP’s governing structure.

The International Department plays a central role in the Chinese government’s outreach to foreign political parties and movements around the world.

Educational Programs

CPUSA’s online Marxist education courses have also included instructional materials produced by Chinese state media and organizations supportive of Beijing’s policies.

Course readings have referenced publications from China Global Television Network (CGTN), documents issued by the CCP’s Publicity Department and other organizations that present favorable views of China’s positions on issues including Taiwan, Xinjiang and international security.

The courses also discuss building party organizations within workplaces and working-class communities as part of broader political organizing efforts.

Another Example

The report also points to the career of Dylan Austin Walker, an American communist known in China as Wu Danran.

Walker joined CPUSA as a teenager and later worked as a reporter for China Daily, the Chinese state-owned newspaper that operates in the United States under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). Chinese government media have highlighted Walker’s support for the CCP and featured him in promotional material discussing China’s development model.

He has also participated in Chinese government-sponsored media and influencer programs designed to showcase the country’s policies to international audiences.

Broader Context

China’s efforts to build relationships with political parties, academics, business leaders and advocacy organizations abroad have drawn increasing scrutiny from U.S. intelligence agencies and members of Congress.

American officials have repeatedly warned that Beijing employs a wide range of influence activities—including educational exchanges, media outreach, academic partnerships and political engagement—to shape foreign opinion and advance Chinese strategic interests.

The publicly available documents reviewed in this report suggest that the CCP’s engagement with CPUSA extends beyond symbolic exchanges, encompassing political education, labor organizing and ongoing party-to-party relationships.

The extent to which those activities translate into measurable influence within the broader American labor movement or electoral politics remains the subject of continuing debate among policymakers, researchers and national security analysts.

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Wayne Creed

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