New Federal State of China

The New Federal State of China is a political movement or lobby group created by Guo Wengui and Steve Bannon, with the stated aim of overthrowing the Communist Party of China (CPC, CCP) as the Chinese government. Launched on 4 June 2020 in New York City, the body has been referred to by its founders as a "government in exile" of China. The NGO called Himalaya Supervisory Organization is the organization behind the movement, dedicated to spreading the word and acting as the means of communications with "international communities".

New Federal State of China
Himalaya Supervisory Organization
新中国联邦  (Chinese)
MottoHimalaya, The Pinnacle of Freedom ("National anthem")[1]
EstablishedJune 4, 2020 (2020-06-04)
FoundersGuo Wengui
Steve Bannon
Founded atNew York City
TypePolitical lobby group
New Federal State of China
Simplified Chinese新中国联邦
Traditional Chinese新中國聯邦

The group operates in Australia under the name Himalaya Australia, in New Zealand under Himalaya New Zealand and in the UK as Himalaya UK. It has been involved in protests against the Chinese government, has opposed the arrest of Bannon in the US, and has spread controversial claims about the origins and treatment of the COVID-19 virus in Australia.

Establishment and organization

The group evolved from a group of self-proclaimed whistleblowers known as Bàoliào Gémìng (Chinese: 爆料革命; lit. 'Whistleblowing Revolution'), rebranded by Bannon and Guo as the New Federal State of China. The group's presence has been boosted by a US-based Chinese influencer on YouTube named Lude, who is, according to an ex-insider, "the number one propagandist for Guo Wengui".[2]

The announcement of the establishment of the group was heralded by aircraft flying banners over US cities, including New York,[3][4] and celebrated a ceremony attended by Guo and Bannon on board Guo's yacht in New York Harbor.[5] At that gathering, Bannon restated his intention to help to overthrow the CPC.[6]

Former Chinese football star Hao Haidong was involved in reading the “Declaration of New Federal State of China",[7] as was his wife, the retired badminton star Ye Zhaoying.[8] Another sponsor was American hedge fund manager Kyle Bass.[9] Announcement of the state was designed to coincide with the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen square massacre on 4 June 1989, with the purpose of the state described as being to "overthrow the Chinese government".[10] It has been described as a political group.[11]

The "Declaration of The New Federal State of China", posted on Guo's G News website on June 3:[6]

At the time of the announcement of the establishment of the New Federal State of China, the Himalaya Supervisory Organization hereby solemnly pledges:... the Himalaya Supervisory Organization will make all preparations for the formation of the New Federal State of China with outreach efforts. It will actively liaise with various countries, political parties, associations and international friends supporting the establishment of the New Federal State of China and coordinate relationships with the interim government... The Himalaya Supervisory Organization will collaborate with international supervisory organizations to oversee the operations of the New Federal State of China according to law. The Himalaya Supervisory Organization complies with both international law and laws made by the New Federal State of China and accepts strict supervision from relevant international legal institutions.

Guo claims to have invested $100 million in the movement. Funding for the movement, as well as its sources, are under investigation by the FBI.[12]

Bannon has described his role as an "adviser" to the group.[13]

Responses and analysis

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang stated in response to questions for comment on the declaration "To these absurd statements, to this farce, I don’t have any interest in commenting".[14]

The director of the Asia Pacific section at the fact check organisation First Draft News, Anne Kruger, said that the group's followers post "questionable material" prolifically on the internet, and that "Their main tactic is really to try to appeal to people that might have a gripe against the Chinese Communist Party and to push conspiracy theories".[2]

The Tibetan Government-in-Exile expressed disapproval of the group, criticizing the founders for unilaterally including Tibet in their proposed new Chinese state without consultation with Tibetan exiles, and for using disrespectful terms when referring to the Dalai Lama and other Tibetans in exile.[15]

Presence in other countries and online

The Himalaya Supervisory Organization was created to “serve as a bridge of communications between the New Federal State of China and international communities in areas of cooperation, defending people’s freedom, and protecting the security of assets on the basis of common development and mutual respect among the people of the whole world”.[9] The group has established branches in several countries apart from the US, including Canada, Taiwan, Japan, New Zealand and Australia.[2]

In Australia, a Facebook page post dated 10 June 2020 says "It is important for us to know and spread truth of global news to free the Chinese people and free the people around the globe. It is crucial to know the reason that we all stay at home, no schooling at schools and no jobs at our offices or places due to the Chinese Communist Party’s virus. The CCP is a gangster organization that need to be removed from this planet".[16]

Himalaya New Zealand's website states its objectives as "to raise awareness of truth disclosed by the Whistle-blower movement initiated by Mr Miles Guo and the former White House strategist Mr. Steve K. Bannon" and "to counter false narratives forced through left-leaning mainstream media and compromised key NGOs within New Zealand".[17]

A YouTube channel, Himalaya UK, is part of the "Guo Library". The first video published under their name appears to be on August 7, 2020. As of 2 November 2020 it has 1,200 subscribers, but views per video rarely hit 100.[18]

Activities

In late July 2020, during the forced closing of the Chinese Consulate in Houston by the United States government, protesters critical of the People's Republic of China gathered outside the consulate with flags of the New Federal State of China.[19]

In August 2020, supporters of the organisation protested the arrest of Bannon.[20]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the group has been accused of disseminating misinformation about the COVID-19 virus. It has printed at least 35,000 pamphlets, with many of these alleging that the virus is a biological weapon developed by the Chinese government (a theory promoted by Chinese expatriate virologist Li-Meng Yan), and promoting hydroxychloroquine as an effective treatment for the disease. It has spread the leaflets across Australia by letter-box drop.[11] The group has also been accused of spreading disinformation in Canada about COVID-19, and holding protests accusing people associated with Chinese dissident groups of being “spies”.[21]

The group has been heavily involved in the spread of disputed information about deals US president-elect Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, had been involved in, in both China and Ukraine. They have also claimed to have video evidence of sexual abuse in which he was involved, and posted videos online which have been viewed tens of millions of times, but neither the source nor the representations in the videos could be verified as genuine. YouTube influencer Lude was the first to mention the videos in late September 2020, posted to his channel with 200,000 subscriber, and the stories have subsequently been reported extensively on Guo's media outlets, GTV Media Group and G News.[2]

Internal conflict

John Pan, a Chinese migrant to Australia active in human rights advocacy, was drawn into the inner circle of 18 members, which included Chinese dissidents and social media influencers, and worked with Guo for a few months in 2019. After becoming disillusioned and leaving the group in late 2019, Guo branded him a "CCP spy", and in October 2020 a group of people carrying banners bearing NFSC and Himalaya Australia logos and the words "Kick the CCP's agent out of Australia!" stood outside his house chanting those words. Guo has threatened Pan and about 10 other Chinese dissidents on a "hit list", encouraging their followers to harm them. Pan and Texan pastor Bob Fu are suing Guo for defamation.[2]

See also

References
  1. Video on YouTube
  2. Hui, Echo; Cohen, Hagar (1 November 2020). "They once peddled misinformation for Guo Wengui and Steve Bannon. Now they're speaking out". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  3. Leggate, James (3 June 2020). "What is the 'new federal state of China?'". Fox News Business. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  4. Barone, Vincent (3 June 2020). "Mysterious 'Federal State of New China' banners seen on planes over NYC". nypost.com.
  5. Kovensky, Josh (21 August 2020). "5 Points On Steve Bannon's Exiled Chinese Billionaire Yacht Buddy". TPM. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  6. Hatomi, Hirofumi (8 June 2020). "The vision of the New Federal State of China..." Asia Power Watch. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  7. "Retired China Soccer Star Calls for Ouster of Communist Party". 4 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  8. Wong, Chun Han (10 June 2020). "Chinese Sporting Power Couple Issues Rare Rebuke of Ruling Communist Party". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  9. Lim, Wyatt Mingji (5 June 2020). "Federal State of New China?". Defense Politics Asia. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  10. "Cracks appear in Xi Jinping's control over the Chinese Communist Party". Times of India. 16 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  11. Bogle, Ariel; Zhao, Iris (9 October 2020). "Anti-Beijing group with links to Steve Bannon spreading COVID-19 misinformation in Australia". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  12. Bagshaw, Eryk (26 July 2020). "Chinese separatists backed by Steve Bannon push new coalition in Australia". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  13. "Steve Bannon talks about 'New Federal State of China'". Taiwan News. 14 June 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  14. Wu, Huizhong; Munroe, Tony (5 June 2020). "China says ex-soccer star's call for ouster of Communist Party is 'absurd'". Reuters. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  15. "Speaker Pema Jungney disapproves, rejects Guo Wengui's 'new federal state of China'". The Tibet Express. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  16. Himilaya Australia (10 June 2020). "Welcome to Himalaya Australia". Facebook. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  17. "Himalaya New Zealand". Himalaya New Zealand. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
  18. "Guo Library - Himalaya UK [Videos]]". YouTube.
  19. "U.S. officials take over Chinese consulate in Houston". Houston Chronicle. 24 July 2020.
  20. Kovensky, Josh (21 August 2020). "5 Points On Steve Bannon's Exiled Chinese Billionaire Yacht Buddy". TPM. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  21. Chiu, Joanna (31 October 2020). "These 'citizens' from Steve Bannon and a Chinese billionaire's 'federal state' have been protesting in a Metro Vancouver cul-de-sac for nearly 50 days. What do they want?". Vancouver Metro Star. Retrieved 31 October 2020.

Further reading
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