China has spent roughly $100 million on influence operations inside the United States, DOJ records show — spanning state-run propaganda networks, corporate lobbying and efforts to shape American policy at every level.
The spending includes $66.8 million funneled to CGTN America, Beijing's flagship English-language media operation, between February and November 2025 alone. Dozens of American lobbyists have signed new contracts with Chinese-owned companies, including firms the Pentagon has designated as Chinese military companies. Tencent alone has spent over $10 million on lobbying since 2025.
And that's just what's on the books. Campus groups linked to the Chinese government and organizations under China's United Front Work Department — a global network of CCP loyalists — don't file disclosures at all.