As Democratic Socialists Expand in the United States, Scrutiny of China Visits Intensifies
Public records document contacts between some Democratic Socialists of America members and Chinese party-state institutions, raising questions about travel arrangements, official engagements, and public statements on China.
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has emerged as a significant force in American progressive politics, reporting approximately 120,000 members. The organization has ties to New York City’s mayor and has seven Democratic candidates running for seats in the U.S. House of Representatives in November.
The DSA advocates replacing capitalism with what it calls “democratic socialism.” Critics, including President Donald Trump, have characterized the ideology as a cover for Marxism and communism, a description its supporters dispute.
Records reviewed for this article document contacts between certain DSA-affiliated individuals and Chinese party-state institutions, along with public statements expressing support for China’s political and economic system.
In a video published in June 2025, a DSA leader described China as “an incredible positive vision of socialism for everyone around the world.” Materials published by Friends of Socialist China, an organization that promotes understanding of Chinese socialism, indicate that 12 DSA members have signed a statement supporting the “continued survival of Chinese socialism.”
The records also document trips to China by several people affiliated with the DSA and their participation in events organized or hosted by Chinese government or Chinese Communist Party (CCP) bodies.
Scott McGregor, a former Canadian intelligence official, said such engagements can prompt questions about how the trips were arranged, who funded them, what was discussed during meetings, and whether hosts influenced participants’ subsequent public messaging.
McGregor’s comments were general observations about potential foreign influence. He did not allege that Anlin Wang, Dee Knight, Ahmed Husain, or any other individual discussed in this article acted on behalf of the Chinese government. The records reviewed do not establish that any of them did so.
“Beijing doesn’t need to recruit spies or control politicians. Building relationships with people who may eventually help shape American policy can be just as valuable,” McGregor said, speaking generally about China’s efforts to develop political influence.
He distinguished between supporting a political ideology and promoting the objectives of a foreign government, noting that the two are not necessarily the same.
McGregor also said that favorable portrayals of China by American activists can influence public perceptions, particularly when discussions of the country’s political system do not address issues such as human rights, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the treatment of ethnic minorities.
“When American political activists praise China’s system while overlooking issues like human rights abuses, Taiwan, Hong Kong, or the treatment of minorities, they may be helping Beijing shape public opinion,” he said. “This can be especially effective because the message comes from Americans rather than Chinese government officials.”
China Working Group and Individual Delegations
By early 2021, the DSA’s International Committee had established a China Working Group intended to develop political activities and educational materials related to China.
The group outlined plans to “develop actions, statements, and political education.”
Anlin Wang, a Philadelphia DSA member who later became a coordinator of the China Working Group, was identified in a 2021 quarterly report as a co-chair of the committee’s Asia and Oceania subcommittee.
The available records do not show that the China Working Group, as a whole, traveled to China or participated in events organized by the CCP or local Chinese government bodies. Instead, they document trips and event appearances involving particular DSA-affiliated individuals. The material includes articles published by Socialist Forum, Chinese state-media reports, and accounts from the CCP International Department.
In October 2025, Socialist Forum, a DSA publication, reported that Wang and Dee Knight had traveled to China with three other DSA members as part of what the article described as a “five-person self-organized delegation.”
Knight, who is also affiliated with the DSA, wrote the account of the trip. The publication states that its articles do not necessarily reflect the organization’s official position.
According to Knight’s account, the delegation was in Beijing on Sept. 3, 2025, for a major Chinese commemoration marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
McGregor said that international visits and relationship-building activities can form part of a foreign government’s broader efforts to develop political connections. He cautioned, however, that the existence of such contacts does not, by itself, establish improper influence or coordination.
He said governments can cultivate relationships through invitations, travel, and personal connections, potentially encouraging favorable public commentary without explicitly directing participants to deliver particular messages.
Before arriving in Beijing, at least some members of the delegation traveled through Guizhou Province in southwestern China, according to Knight’s article.
During that portion of the visit, Wang participated in a program that included a commemoration in Guiyang, the provincial capital, on Aug. 26, 2025.
Guizhou Radio and Television, a state-run media outlet, reported that the program ran from Aug. 24 to Aug. 29 and brought foreign guests to Guiyang and Qinglong. The report identified Wang as a “representative of the Democratic Socialists of America.”
A separate report by the state-run Guiyang Daily said the Aug. 26 event was jointly hosted by the Guizhou Provincial Foreign Affairs Office and the Guizhou Red Cross. Approximately 80 people attended, including descendants of foreign medical workers, scholars, and a delegation from Friends of Socialist China.
The latter organization describes its work as promoting “understanding of Chinese socialism.” Its published materials also include a statement supporting the “continued survival of Chinese socialism,” which 12 DSA members have signed.
The DSA, Knight, and Wang did not respond to requests for additional information about the arrangements and financing of the China visits.
The records reviewed do not identify who paid for the trips or establish that any Chinese government or party institution financed them.
From Guizhou to New York
Knight also described an earlier visit to Guizhou in November 2024. He wrote that he had been invited as part of a delegation of “international media and think tanks” to attend a forum in Guiyang titled “China in Sight, Global Insight.”
According to Knight, staff members from the provincial foreign-affairs department referred to the visitors as “VIPs.” He identified Du Xinlei, deputy chief of European and American affairs at the Guizhou Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, as the delegation’s host.
The CCP International Department said the forum was jointly organized by the department and the CCP’s Guizhou Provincial Committee. According to its account, the event brought together more than 200 participants from 50 countries, including representatives of political parties, think tanks, businesses, and media organizations.
Knight wrote that, after spending several days in Guizhou, “our hosts transported us by air” to Shanxi Province. The delegation visited Taiyuan and Datong before traveling onward to Beijing.
His account does not specify who covered his international airfare, accommodation, meals, or other expenses. It also does not identify which institution issued his personal invitation.
The CCP International Department’s account identifies the forum’s organizers but does not name Knight or disclose what expenses, if any, were covered for individual foreign participants.
In June 2025, a delegation from Guizhou traveled to New York City, where DSA-affiliated social media posts documented a reception welcoming the visitors.
An Instagram post associated with the DSA shows Ahmed Husain, a member of the organization’s 25-member national leadership committee, addressing attendees at the gathering.
According to the accompanying video, Husain discussed the DSA’s work on housing, labor unions, and elections before praising China as a model of socialism.
The same post promoted a June 7 event focused on building “Peace and Solidarity with China.” Knight was listed as a scheduled speaker, while Wang was set to participate remotely.
The social media post did not identify the Chinese visitors or provide their official titles. It also did not specify the reception’s venue, which organization arranged the delegation’s U.S. visit, or who covered the associated expenses.
The available records therefore document several instances of contact between DSA-affiliated individuals and Chinese party-state institutions, as well as public expressions of support for China’s socialist system. They leave unresolved key questions about the financing and organization of particular trips and events.
Those gaps are important when assessing the nature of the relationships involved. Participation in a foreign-sponsored event, travel to another country, or favorable comments about its political system do not, on their own, demonstrate that an individual acted at the direction of a foreign government. Establishing that would require additional evidence about the arrangements, communications, and activities involved.