Epoch TV Review: ‘6 US Companies Owned by China’

Epoch TV Review: ‘6 US Companies Owned by China’
A still from an episode of 'China in Focus' released by EPOCH TV (EPOCH TV/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)
Lacy Hall
8/17/2021
Updated:
8/17/2021

An episode of “China in Focus,” titled “6 U.S. Companies Owned by China that You Didn’t Know About” looks at companies in the United States owned by Chinese firms affiliated with the Chinese Communist regime (CCP) and promoting its objectives. Some of the companies revealed are as surprising as they are well-known in our country, causing concern in the areas of economy, technology, privacy, and national security.

The amount of control China has over our country is getting stronger with each purchase and takeover of our businesses. Their stronghold is greater than any other country has had in history. Show moderator Tiffany Meyer said, “The word infiltration is actually closer to real life than most seem to think. The CCP’s footprint is on your screens, in your grocery stores, and even in your go-to products and companies.”

None of this is secret. It is out in the open with each business transaction and expansion of our markets.

6 US Companies Owned by China That You didn’t know About | China in Focus [Trailer]

Watch the full episode here.

The Companies Profiled on the Show

Legendary Pictures.

This film company produced the movies “Inception,” “Batman,” and “Interstellar,” to name a few. In 2016, the company was acquired by Wang Jianlin, one of China’s wealthiest businessmen according to Forbes. Congress was so worried about this takeover that 16 members wrote a letter to the government agency overseeing the transaction voicing their concerns and pointing out that Jianlin was a former member of the Chinese military. They felt that China could user Legendary to influence American media with CCP propaganda. For example, the first film produced after the purchase was “The Great Wall.” In this movie, China saves the world from monsters and star Matt Damon expresses wonderment over the prowess of the Chinese military. Another example was the removal of the Taiwanese and Japanese flags from the jacket of Maverick in the “Top Gun” sequel. Changes have been made in other films to please the CCP censors and propagandists.

Riot Games

This company makes popular video games including “League of Legends.” Riot Games was purchased by Chinese technology company Tencent, which has strong ties to the Chinese Communist regime. Another Tencent product, WeChat, is a social media platform that has been used for CCP surveillance and censorship all over the world. Users are banned from talking about topics that are considered sensitive by the CCP. They also use the video games to promote propaganda such as, making the hero from China and the villain from the West. Tencent also owns minor interest in the video game company Blizzard, which banned one of its users for a year after he shouted a slogan in support of democracy in Hong Kong during a gaming tournament. They also refused to pay him the money he would have won for winning the tournament.

4. Smithfield Foods

This company was bought by the Chinese conglomerate Shuanghui using money from a state-owned bank, and is the world’s largest producer of pork. Some government officials thought this might be part of the Chinese objective of owning 25 percent of America’s pork industry. Smithfield states on its website that it will not import any food products from China and that Shuanghui, which underwent a name change, is not affiliated with the CCP.

TikTok

TikTok is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, which launched the international version in 2018. Tik Tok boasts 80 million American users, most of whom are under the age of 24. ByteDance has executives that belong to the CCP and the company is required to share user data with China, which creates a major risk to the security ofAmerican citizens. TikTok can get data on your images, messages, apps, sites that you visit, and even settings and location data. Ms. Myers reveals that Tik Tok is gathering biometric data from minors. Issues like these are what prompted the Trump administration to attempt to ban the app several times; and other government agencies and Amazon banned their employees from using TikTok. President Biden has called this “an issue of great concern.”

The Waldorf Astoria

This well-known luxury hotel in New York City has had many illustrious visitors, including movie stars, former presidents, and world leaders. When it was purchased by the Chinese company, Anbang Group, President Obama chose not to stay at the hotel when he attended the UN general assembly in 2015, stating security concerns as the reason for his decision. Anbang’s board of directors includes Chinese military personnel and the son of a Chinese military general. When the CCP no longer backed the company, chairman Wu Xiaohui was given an 18-year prison sentence, and the company was taken over by Chinese officials and eventually sold to private owners.

The headquarters of the African Union, financed and built by the Chinese, was found to have listening devices and microphones hidden throughout the building to spy on the African officials.

The Trump administration blocked a deal in which China was trying to purchase a hotel software platform that stored customer data.

Continental Aerospace Technologies

This company builds airplane engines, and was once contracted by the U.S. military. It was purchased by AVIC, a Chinese company that manufactured many of the airplanes used in a Communist leader’s military parade in 2019. The company has a video that promotes its loyalty to the CCP. Many other aircraft manufacturers across the United States are participating in joint ventures with AVIC. Controversy sparked when it was found that these big companies were receiving pandemic relief funds from the U.S. government that were ear-marked for small businesses.

All of these U.S. companies being owned by Chinese companies, whose first allegiance is to the CCP, is quite concerning. Fortunately, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States reviews foreigners looking to invest or buy American companies and stops them if they pose a threat to our national security. As we learn more about the efforts of Communist China to get a larger foothold in American business, our government must constantly be on guard to thwart their efforts and protect our American interests and security.

China in Focus premiers every Friday at 9 p.m.—exclusive on EpochTV.
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Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Lacy Hall is a native born Texan and lives in South Texas. She earned a bachelor of science degree in English/Education from Howard Payne University. She enjoys research and has a passion for writing entertaining, informative, and relevant content for her readers.
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