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【Exclusive】Investigative Report: The UFWD Connection - Lily Pang and David Wang's Political Pursuit in Canada

An investigation conducted by LibertyNetwork.ca


Introduction


Lily Pang, a prominent figure tied to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) United Front Work Department (UFWD), has been documented for her significant involvement in Beijing's overseas influence operations. Her son, David Wang, is currently pursuing the Conservative Party of Canada's nomination for Richmond Centre. This investigation delves into the intricate web of connections between the UFWD, Lily Pang, and David Wang’s political aspirations, raising critical questions about potential foreign interference in Canadian politics.


Lily Pang’s Role in the UFWD


Lily Pang’s involvement with the UFWD is well-documented. In September 2018, she was appointed as a consultant for the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese (ACFROC), a key UFWD agency that coordinates the CCP’s overseas Chinese affairs. This appointment, presided over by Chinese President Xi Jinping, solidifies her position within the CCP's overseas influence network.


The UFWD's strategic goal is to co-opt individuals and organizations to advance CCP interests abroad. Reports from credible sources and a 2018 article on Medium highlight that Pang, alongside other UFWD consultants, was dispatched to various cities to promote the CCP's agenda. This aligns with photographic and video evidence showing her active participation in UFWD meetings in Beijing.


Lily Pang was also among the first individuals to establish a newspaper (中华时报）in Canada dedicated to promoting Chinese propaganda. This initiative aligns with the broader objectives of the United Front Work Department (UFWD) to influence overseas Chinese communities and shape public opinion in favour of the CCP.


In early 2019, David Wang and his "momager," Lily Pang, were seen mingling with numerous high-ranking CCP and UFWD officials in Heilongjiang, a region struggling economically. Among their hosts were propaganda cadres who viewed the duo as an opportunity to solicit more donations, explicitly aimed at advancing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) goals. In response, Lily not only pledged deeper involvement with the UFWD in Heilongjiang but also offered access to a "Friends of the UFWD" (侨联之友) WeChat group to bolster their outreach.


The "Friends of the UFWD" WeChat group should be closely monitored by Canadian intelligence agencies, as it consists of over 200 leaders of overseas Chinese organizations who are actively discussing current events. These groups are heavily influenced by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs through directives issued via embassies and consulates. The group plays a pivotal role in advancing the Chinese Communist Party’s agenda in Western countries, raising significant concerns about foreign influence and interference. Notably, Lily Pang is an active and prominent member of this group.


Fast forward to 2023, Lily returned to Beijing to celebrate her continuing role as a UFWD/CCP "consultant," a position previously highlighted in earlier reports. In a September 2023 essay for a CCP-aligned website, Lily, sporting pink hair to match her evident enthusiasm for the party, referred to Xi Jinping as "comrade" twice—a term in modern Mandarin reserved for CCP members. In the essay, she praised Xi’s commitment to UFWD political warfare strategies and his call for uniting ethnic Chinese worldwide. She also referenced Xi’s hallmark rhetoric, including terms like the "once-in-a-century great changes" (百年未有之大变局), along with other propaganda slogans of the Xi era: "realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation’s dream," "building a community of shared future for mankind," "advancing the Belt and Road Initiative," "spreading and promoting traditional Chinese culture," and "telling China's story well."


Here's Lily posing for photos with her CCP associates at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, further cementing her ties to the party’s overseas operations.




Lily Pang openly aligns herself with the CCP’s political and economic agenda, positioning herself against the efforts of democratic nations to counteract Beijing's economic warfare. According to her, political, academic, and business elites in every country play a pivotal role in advancing the CCP's objectives and must be actively mobilized to serve these goals.

In her own words, reversing current geopolitical trends hinges on leveraging ethnic Chinese communities worldwide as Beijing's "trump card" (我想，四千多万在全球各个角落生活工作的华侨华人是中国手中独特的“王牌”). This reflects her staunch advocacy for the CCP's vision of global influence and dominance.




As a Beijing CPPCC advisor, Lily Pang attended a study seminar hosted by CCP for learning "Xi Jinping Thought". According to Beijing's Daily, Lily Pang and other pro-CCP leaders were told by the Chairman of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Xiaodong Wei that “Transform learning outcomes into a powerful driving force for advancing performance and responsibilities.” What are the responsibilities? He said they include “The dual positive roles” and “special functions” on the front lines. They are also told that they should “consciously maintain a high degree of alignment with the Party Central Committee, with Xi Jinping at its core, in terms of ideology, politics, and actions”（自觉在思想上政治上行动上同以习近平为核心的党中央保持高度一致）.


It also should be noted that Lily's husband Kuien Wang has his own CCP UFWD connections. He was also the CEO of China Times (Vancouver), a Chinese newspaper promoting CCP's narratives. He attended "the Forum of Global Chinese Media" as one of the delegates.


According to The China Media Project, the Forum of Global Chinese Media is a networking event held once every two years, used by the Chinese government to disseminate official Party-state frames and encourage overseas outlets to be more friendly and less critical of China’s interests. It was launched in 2001 by the China News Service (CNS), one of two official wire services in the country. CNS is under the United Front Work Department (UFWD), the powerful agency under the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee charged with gathering intelligence and influencing individuals, particularly overseas Chinese, outside the country".


Now Kuien Wang is the Chairman of Aier Group and leading an organization called "North American Economic, Trade, and Cultural Association". He was seen visiting Nantong accompanied by the president of the local United Front department and also visited Weihai Municipal Government in 2023.


Lily Pang’s familial ties and her active involvement with the UFWD reflect the CCP’s broader strategy of embedding influence through elite networks globally.


David Wang: Following in the Footsteps


David Wang has frequently accompanied his parents to UFWD-related events, as evidenced by photos and travel records shared in a detailed Twitter thread. The images capture Wang at returned overseas Chinese meetings alongside high-ranking CCP officials. Notably, in September 2023, Pang was documented in Beijing in her UFWD consultant capacity, where she published an essay referring to Xi Jinping as “comrade,” a term reserved for CCP members. Such language underscores her deep integration into the party's inner circle.

David Wang’s campaign website for his Richmond Centre nomination, www.wang.ca, omits these ties. However, his frequent travels with his mother to UFWD gatherings and his proximity to CCP influence operations warrant scrutiny.



Chinese Communist Party Mouthpiece "People's Daily" Coverage


The section regarding her son highlights how Lily Pang is deeply invested in her child’s education and development. It mentions that she has dedicated significant resources and energy to ensure that her son, David Wang, grows up in Chinese culture and fosters a sense of belonging to China. The article also emphasizes how she sponsored Canadian sports teams by donating clothes with Chinese characters.


David is also helping his mother to work with CCP leaders of a United Front Organization (中国华侨公益基金会）to donate heavily censored Chinese textbooks to schools in Thailand, to cater to Xi Jinping's so-called “telling good stories about China” initiative.


Erasure of Evidence


Evidence of Lily Pang’s attendance at Wang’s campaign launch in Richmond, documented in a Richmond Voice article, has been retroactively erased. Screenshots reveal that photos of Pang were removed from the event’s coverage, raising questions about transparency. Such actions suggest an attempt to obscure Pang’s involvement in her son's campaign and, by extension, her ties to the UFWD.





Potential Implications for Canadian Politics


The CCP’s UFWD has been identified as a tool for advancing Beijing's influence abroad, often by infiltrating political systems. David Wang’s candidacy for the Conservative Party of Canada raises concerns about the extent to which UFWD-affiliated individuals may seek to shape Canadian policy or narratives in favour of CCP interests.


Conclusion and Questions


This investigation highlights significant red flags regarding Lily Pang’s UFWD connections and her son David Wang’s political ambitions. Key questions remain:


  1. To what extent do Pang’s UFWD activities influence Wang’s political platform?

  2. Why were photos and other evidence of Pang’s involvement in Wang’s campaign launch erased?

  3. What measures exist within Canadian political systems to address potential foreign interference?


As this story develops, it underscores the urgent need for vigilance in safeguarding Canada’s democratic processes from undue foreign influence.


Sources

Further investigative efforts are necessary to provide greater clarity on these critical issues.



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