China spends $280 million on U.S. lobbying, more than any other foreign country

Chinese government and state-linked entities spend more than $280 million on Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) lobbying and influence operations in the United States over six years, making China the largest foreign spender on U.S. political influence. Unlike Russia, which targets individual politicians or creates chaos, Beijing aims to change broader American views of China through media control, lobbying, and sophisticated disinformation campaigns. The Chinese Communist Party uses united front work to target community organizations, universities, local governments, and consulting agreements to build political influence networks.