US probes China-linked funding of UK protests

The House Ways and Means Committee, led by Chairman Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), has launched an investigation into allegations that funds connected to Chinese businessman and activist Singham are supporting pro-Hamas and pro-communist causes in the United Kingdom. The investigation was prompted by a report published on Thursday, which has since sparked calls from British parliamentarians for their own inquiries. The report highlights that Singham's money has been funneled to Code Pink, a feminist anti-war group co-founded by his wife, Jodie Evans. The committee's findings suggest that this funding extends beyond American borders, with Smith stating that Singham's influence is supporting these causes overseas, including in the UK. The allegations have raised concerns about foreign interference in British politics and activism, leading to demands for a united US-UK response. Labour MP Sarah Champion called for collaboration between the two countries to investigate the payments and their influence, while Conservative MP Alicia Kearns urged the government to use the National Security Act to prosecute any unregistered individuals working on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party. Additionally, Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith wrote in the Telegraph that China should be placed in the upper tier of the foreign influence registration scheme, defining it as a threat. The Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), has also expressed concerns about the China-linked funding of Code Pink and has communicated these to the Department of Justice. The investigation underscores growing bipartisan concern in the US about foreign influence operations, particularly those linked to China, and the need for robust measures to counter such activities.