We used to do a series called Asians Behaving Badly. This series highlights Asians and Asian Americans who went against the model minority stereotype and did heinous things. As time went on, it fell out of favor. Indeed, during and after the COVID 19 pandemic, the model minority myth seemed like on of the less problematic Asian American stereotypes. Many Americans think that Asian Americans are more loyal to their ethnic origin country. In this environment, former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang has done enough harm to bring back the series. Wang has pleaded guilty to charges of being an illegal foreign agent for the Chinese Government.
We have written about corrupt Asian American mayors like Ed Balico and Sheng Thao. What is different about now former Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang? What exactly did being an illegal foreign agent entail? Wang, at the behest of Chinese government officials, posted Pro-Beijing articles on her website without notifying US officials as required by law. Posts include denying humans rights abuse in Xinjiang. For her part, Wang says that she was duped by her former fiance, Mike Sun, who was convicted on similar charges. Wang faces up to a maximum of ten years in this case.
What particularly irritates me Wang’s case? Arcadia is an Asian American majority city in Southern California’s San Gabriel Valley. Taiwanese make up some 6% of the population, many of whom are definitely not Pro-Beijing. “We cannot allow this moment to become an excuse for people to paint entire communities with one brush or weaponize ethnicity for political gain,” says acting Arcadia Mayor Paul Cheng. Wang’s (and Sun’s) actions help to do just that. While we often acknowledge here the advances by Asian Americans in the US political system, her conviction helps undermine those.
