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California Treasurer Fiona Ma Received Donations From Donors With China Ties

California Treasurer Fiona Ma accepted more than $100,000 from donors with reported ties to the Chinese government and affiliated organizations. A Daily Caller News Foundation investigation examined campaign finance records and public meetings involving Ma and individuals connected to Chinese Communist Party-linked groups.

DA
1 source·May 21, 1:10 PM(8 days ago)·1m read
California Treasurer Fiona Ma Received Donations From Donors With China Tiesncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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Donors with ties to the Chinese Communist Party and its intelligence arms have contributed more than $100,000 to the political war chest of California Treasurer Fiona Ma, according to a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation. Among the donations, filings show Ma accepted $2,500 in September 2022 from then-Arcadia mayoral candidate Eileen Wang.

Wang is expected to plead guilty to charges of acting as an illegal agent of China, according to the Department of Justice. Ma has been photographed alongside Wang at multiple California events and endorsed her mayoral candidacy in August 2022, one month before receiving the campaign contribution.

California's two-term treasurer has met with officials from the Chinese government and the United Front Work Department at least 30 times since 1999, the Daily Caller News Foundation reported in May. The United Front Work Department's operations are described as a blend of engagement, influence activities, and intelligence operations that Beijing uses to steer foreign policy and gain access to advanced foreign technology, according to the House Select Committee on the CCP.

Ma's campaigns have accepted tens of thousands of dollars from United Front Work Department-affiliated donors, including Royal Business Bank's co-founder Simon Pang, who has contributed $12,500 to Ma since 2018.

Filings show Ma's 2022 State Treasurer re-election campaign received $1,000 from businessman Xuan Guojun, who has held positions in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region People's Congress and multiple United Front Work Department arms. California Secretary of State filings also reveal that Ma's lieutenant governor race has received $13,600 from Eric Zhang & Associates LLP.

The manager of that company's Las Vegas office, Barry Zhang, was the registered agent for the now-defunct Prestige Biotech Inc. and another company connected to alleged illegal biolabs discovered in Reedley, California in December 2022 and Las Vegas, Nevada in January 2026.

Key Facts

$100,000+
total donations from China-tied donors to Fiona Ma
30 meetings
Ma met with Chinese government and UFWD officials since 1999
$12,500
contributed by Simon Pang to Ma since 2018
$13,600
received from Eric Zhang & Associates LLP

Story Timeline

4 events
  1. September 2022

    Fiona Ma accepted $2,500 from Eileen Wang.

    1 source@DailyCaller
  2. May 2025

    Xuan Guojun was arrested in California.

    1 source@DailyCaller
  3. January 2026

    Alleged illegal biolab discovered in Las Vegas.

    1 source@DailyCaller
  4. May 21, 2026

    Daily Caller News Foundation published investigation into Ma's donors.

    1 source@DailyCaller

Potential Impact

  1. 01

    Ma's campaign finance records may face additional public and media scrutiny.

  2. 02

    California voters may weigh donor ties when evaluating Ma's 2026 lieutenant governor candidacy.

Transparency Panel

Sources cross-referenced1
Confidence score65%
Synthesized bySubstrate AI
Word count306 words
PublishedMay 21, 2026, 1:10 PM
Bias signals removed2 across 1 outlet
Signal Breakdown
Loaded 2

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