Report Urges Congress Require Chinese State Media to Resister as Foreign Agents

Report Urges Congress Require Chinese State Media to Resister as Foreign Agents

By Stephen Lendman stephenlendman.org 11-17-17

Speech, media and academic freedom in America are threatened. Forcing RT America to register as a foreign agent was a shot across the bow, an attempt to undermine its operations, wanting its reporting silenced. Perhaps it signaled what’s ahead, an all-out assault on legitimate dissent, viewpoints challenging the official narrative, hard truths dark forces in America want suppressed, especially online, in RT’s case for its popular television news, information and commentaries. Established in October 2000, The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) aims to monitor, investigate, and report to Congress on the national security implications of the bilateral trade and economic relationship between the United States and the People’s Republic of China.” “The Commission is required to issue an annual report of its evaluation and findings.” Its latest report was wide-ranging. Recommendations included, urging congressional “strengthen(ing) (of the) Foreign Agents Registration Act to require the registration of all staff of Chinese state-run media entities, given that Chinese intelligence gathering and information warfare efforts are known to involve staff of Chinese state-run media organizations and in light of the present uneven enforcement of the Act.” Media in China and Russia aren’t “intelligence gathering and information warfare” operations - unlike US-led Western ones, functioning as press agents for wealth, power and privilege. USCC accused Chinese state media of involvement in spying and propaganda. Forcing them to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) will be another body blow to media freedom. Xinhua with offices in New York, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston and San Francisco is notably targeted, the report saying: “Xinhua serves some of the functions of an intelligence agency by gathering information and producing classified reports for the Chinese leadership on both domestic and international events.” In testimony to the USCC, CIA/connected Freedom House said a “loophole” prevents requiring Xinhua and the People’s Daily staff from registering as foreign agents. Bipartisan neocon US lawmakers are working on overhauling FARA in the wake of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manfort’s indictment on 12 counts, including operating as an unregistered foreign agent and false and misleading FARA statements - charges unrelated to Russia. A previous article explained AIPAC has been an unregistered agent for Israel since 1953 - no charges ever brought for operating illegally, nothing holding  it accountable for decades of deplorable actions, including support for Israeli high crimes, along with malicious lying, fear-mongering and promoting naked aggression against its adversaries. Things in America are heading toward outlawing dissent, calling it a threat to national security, even treason, equating it to terrorism. It’s a fundamental freedom, the hallmark of free societies, the highest form of patriotism - constitutionally guaranteed. Yet it’s endangered by administration and congressional efforts to compromise it - perhaps heading toward eliminating the most fundamental of all rights.