Semafor’s China Initiative Counts CCP ‘Chamber of Commerce’ Executive as an Adviser

Experts believe Zeng Yuqun is involved in the project of a media startup.

Semafor’s China initiative board member is a Chinese billionaire who works as a senior executive in Beijing. “Chamber of Commerce” He has strong ties to other front groups of the Chinese Communist Party.

Zeng Yuqun (chairman of Contemporary Amperex Technology Co.) is on the Chinese advisory panel for Semafor’s China & Global Business initiative. The media startup’s “independent news initiative,” This alternative to Washington’s was launched in March. “hawkish” Beijing consensus. Contemporary Amperex is a major participant in the CCP’s attempt to dominate green-technology supply chain. It receives significant subsidies from Beijing.

Diana Furchtgott–Roth, director of the Center for Energy, Climate and Environment at Heritage Foundation, said that Zeng’s participation in Semafor’s project was a result of Zeng’s involvement. “shows that this publication has concerning ties with Beijing.”

“It’s concerning for a media outlet to be receiving financial backing from a company with deep CCP ties,” Furchtgott Roth was an economic adviser to three presidents.

Zeng isn’t the only controversial partner of Semafor. Sam Bankman Fried, an embattled Democratic Party donor, invested substantial amounts in the company. The former billionaire is now facing jail time for allegedly defrauding his investors in his cryptocurrency business. In the $25 million round of funding for the media startup, Bankman Fried invested roughly $10 million in Semafor. Semafor stated in January that it intends to repurchase Bankman-Fried’s interest in the company.

Zeng serves as a director on two organizations in China “united front” CCP uses the system to gain influence all over the world. Zeng is also a member in chief of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Zeng was elected vice-chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce in December. “a chamber of commerce led by the Communist Party of China.”

American politicians have come to the defense of Zeng’s business. Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin (R.). Contemporary Amperex’s proposal to Ford to open a state-wide battery plant was defeated. He called the Chinese company a CCP. “Trojan horse.”

It is not clear who funds the Semafor initiative. Ben Smith, cofounder of Semafor, declined to comment.

However, Semafor CEO and cofounder Justin Smith had ties to CCP while he was CEO at Bloomberg Media Group. The news outlet reportedly grew during his tenure. ordered A journalist was fired from his investigation into the wealth of CCP senior officials. The reporter was fired.

Bloomberg L.P. was the parent company of Bloomberg Media Group and did significant business in China. Bloomberg Terminal subscriptions are sold to Chinese businesses by the group, which is worth millions of Dollars. in 2015 American firms will have easier access to the Chinese currency markets through an initiative.

Michael Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor and unsuccessful presidential candidate, is now CEO of Bloomberg L.P. apologized Last November, China was visited by Boris Johnson, former British prime minister. This Bloomberg event was called The Chinese government a “coercive autocracy.” Bloomberg, who advises President Joe Biden on Defense Department matters, has defended the leadership of CCP, even going so far to question the consensus that President Xi Jinping can be considered a dictator.

Semafor stated that the initiative aims to present a a “diversity of opinion” U.S. relations with Sino However, the majority of its advisory board is made up of CCP members and CCP front group officials as well as pro-China business executives.

Wang Huiyao, founder of the Center for China & Globalization, and a member of the Semafor advisory boards, is a Chinese government adviser. architect China’s controversial “Thousand Talents” Beijing uses the program to steal trade secrets from American businesses and pose national security threats for the U.S government.

On the advisory board for the initiative are two members of Chinese Communist Party: a former minister in commerce Chen Deming as well as a former ambassador Cui Tuankai.

The board includes the chairmen of both the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and China Public Diplomacy Association. These associations are closely linked to CCP’s United Front Work Department. The Guardian reported The China Public Diplomacy Association hosted training sessions. “foreign reporters are schooled not just on China, but also on its view of journalism.” The All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce describes As such “a mass organization and chamber of commerce led by the Communist Party of China.”

Semafor, in its short life, has established other ties to China. The outlet hosted Qin Gang, then-Chinese ambassador at an event which took place after the White House Correspondents’ dinner last April. Qin was interviewed Semafor’s Africa Summit, December. Alibaba, the Chinese cloud computing company giant sponsored Semafor’s January eCommerce forum. The Chinese government is suing the company for selling facial recognition software that allows them to track Muslim Uyghurs.