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Ties to Chinese State Media Raise Questions in U.S. Election Campaign Ties to Chinese State Media Raise Questions in U.S. Election Campaign
(2 days later)
BEIJING — Phillip Yin, a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor of Washington State, has an M.B.A. from Georgetown, a long list of policy ideas and a catchy campaign slogan (“Yin It to Win It”). But it is four letters on Mr. Yin’s résumé that have people talking.BEIJING — Phillip Yin, a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor of Washington State, has an M.B.A. from Georgetown, a long list of policy ideas and a catchy campaign slogan (“Yin It to Win It”). But it is four letters on Mr. Yin’s résumé that have people talking.
Mr. Yin, 41, was until last year a news anchor for CCTV, the Chinese state television broadcaster. Two weeks into his campaign, some online commenters have suggested that he is a mouthpiece for the Chinese government, while the news media in mainland China has cheered him on. Mr. Yin, 41, was until last year a news anchor for CCTV America, an affiliate of the Chinese state television broadcaster CCTV. Two weeks into his campaign, some online commenters have suggested that he is a mouthpiece for the Chinese government, while the news media in mainland China has cheered him on.
Mr. Yin, the son of immigrants from Hong Kong, said he saw his experience at CCTV, where he was an anchor based in Washington, D.C., as a strength that would allow him to build ties with leaders in Chinese business and government. Mr. Yin, the son of immigrants from Hong Kong, said he saw his experience at CCTV America, where he was an anchor based in Washington, D.C., as a strength that would allow him to build ties with leaders in Chinese business and government.
“You want somebody who’s going to understand which buttons to push,” Mr. Yin said in a telephone interview on Friday.“You want somebody who’s going to understand which buttons to push,” Mr. Yin said in a telephone interview on Friday.
In online forums and interviews, some commentators have raised questions about Mr. Yin’s ties to the network. Mr. Yin, a former journalist for Bloomberg and CNBC, helped CCTV expand its global reach in 2012 by joining CCTV America, an English-language channel based in Washington that began broadcasting in 2012.In online forums and interviews, some commentators have raised questions about Mr. Yin’s ties to the network. Mr. Yin, a former journalist for Bloomberg and CNBC, helped CCTV expand its global reach in 2012 by joining CCTV America, an English-language channel based in Washington that began broadcasting in 2012.
On Twitter, Bill Bishop, a media entrepreneur and prominent American commentator on China, recently wrote, “Wonder how Washington voters feel about an ex employee of China’s ministry of propaganda.”On Twitter, Bill Bishop, a media entrepreneur and prominent American commentator on China, recently wrote, “Wonder how Washington voters feel about an ex employee of China’s ministry of propaganda.”
In response, Mr. Yin tweeted, “I’m proud to have shared the importance of free speech with journalists I worked with.”In response, Mr. Yin tweeted, “I’m proud to have shared the importance of free speech with journalists I worked with.”
CCTV has come under criticism recently for having broadcast a string of confessions by foreigners accused of violating Chinese law. Rights campaigners and scholars in the West have dismissed the broadcasts as part of a propaganda campaign aimed at silencing dissent.CCTV has come under criticism recently for having broadcast a string of confessions by foreigners accused of violating Chinese law. Rights campaigners and scholars in the West have dismissed the broadcasts as part of a propaganda campaign aimed at silencing dissent.
On Friday, Mr. Yin, who left CCTV in December, distanced himself from the videos, saying, “You’d have to be a fool to not be a little concerned.” Still, he emphasized that he did not know all the facts, and he was reluctant to criticize the crackdown on civil society under President Xi Jinping. On Friday, Mr. Yin, who left CCTV America in December, distanced himself from the videos, saying, “You’d have to be a fool to not be a little concerned.” Still, he emphasized that he did not know all the facts, and he was reluctant to criticize the crackdown on civil society under President Xi Jinping.
Mr. Yin said he had not experienced censorship at CCTV, though he said that he sometimes had to make compromises, like when the network delayed its coverage of pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong in 2014 by a few hours. Mr. Yin said he had not experienced censorship at CCTV America, though he said that he sometimes had to make compromises, like when the network delayed its coverage of pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong in 2014 by a few hours.
Mr. Yin’s campaign has received little coverage in the United States, aside from a front-page article in The Yakima Herald-Republic, a newspaper in Washington State. But state news media in China have faithfully documented his candidacy.Mr. Yin’s campaign has received little coverage in the United States, aside from a front-page article in The Yakima Herald-Republic, a newspaper in Washington State. But state news media in China have faithfully documented his candidacy.
Many online commenters here have been supportive.Many online commenters here have been supportive.
“Hope he will actively speak on behalf of ethnic Chinese!” one user wrote on Weibo, a Twitter-like service.“Hope he will actively speak on behalf of ethnic Chinese!” one user wrote on Weibo, a Twitter-like service.
“It’s in the interest of tens of millions of Chinese,” another wrote.“It’s in the interest of tens of millions of Chinese,” another wrote.