Several Chinese Communist Party-backed influence groups have sponsored events and trips to China for U.S. officials…to increase collaboration between the two countries on agriculture and farming.

The unearthing of the United States Heartland China Association (USHCA) ties to Chinese foreign influence groups follow reports of Chinese Communist Party members and firms buying up American farmland, raising national security concerns…

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Founded by former Democrat Governor of Missouri Bob Holden, the USHCA purports to be a “bipartisan organization committed to building stronger ties [with]…the People’s Republic of China.”…

The organization is an integral component of the Chinese Communist Party’s “United Front,” an effort that seeks to “co-opt and neutralize sources of potential opposition to the policies and authority of its ruling Chinese Communist Party” and “influence foreign governments to take actions or adopt positions supportive of Beijing’s preferred policies,” according to the U.S. government.

The USHCA has also co-hosted events alongside the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), regarded as the “public face” of the United Front and an “avowed arm of the party-state.”…

…[T]he aforementioned Chinese Communist Party-linked influence groups have courted…representatives with sponsored speeches or travel. Joe Biden’s Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has participated in events with…USHCA…

In partnership with CUSEF, the USHCA has also sponsored trips to China for delegation consisting of American heartland mayors. CUSEF has also deployed this tactic on American journalists, offering free trips…in exchange for “favorable coverage,” according to Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA) filings…

USHCA delegation participants have also called for closer collaboration with the Chinese Communist Party on agriculture and farming, including…South Dakota Mayor Paul TenHaken in an op-ed recently wiped from the internet, upon return:

It is time that Sioux Falls looks at developing deeper, more consistent relationships with key Chinese communities and businesses…Smithfield Foods—is owned by a Chinese parent company, and my office has had…discussions with business development opportunities that have Chinese ownership ties…

Do you feel these alliances are in the U.S.’s best interest? Share your comments and prayers, below!

(Excerpt from The National Pulse. Article by Natalie Winters. Photo Credit: Andrea Verdelli/Getty Images).