China accuses US group National Endowment for Democracy of ‘ideological infiltration’

Beijing says the NED, sometimes called Washington’s ‘regime-change arm’, supports Taiwan separatists and destabilising forces in Hong Kong

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China has published a report on the National Endowment for Democracy aimed at “unmasking” the US-funded organisation. Photo: AP

Published: 3:47pm, 10 Aug 2024Updated: 4:40pm, 10 Aug 2024

China has accused a US-based group of “ideological infiltration”, including funding anti-Beijing forces in Hong Kong and supporting separatist forces in Taiwan, in a lengthy report aimed at “unmasking” its operations.

In the report published by China’s foreign ministry on Friday, Washington was accused of “subverting state power in other countries” and “conducting ideological infiltration” through the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) – claims that have been echoed by countries in Latin America and the Middle East.

The NED is funded by the United States Congress with the stated aim of supporting “democratic struggles everywhere”. It funds overseas groups, unions and institutions. In 1997, founding chairman of Hong Kong’s Democratic Party, Martin Lee Chu-ming received the Democracy Award, the group’s top honour.

“The NED has long been colluding with those who attempt to destabilise Hong Kong by providing funds and public support,” the report said, naming organisations including Hong Kong Watch and Amnesty International, as well as “anti-China lawmakers” in the US, UK and Germany.

In 2020, the NED funded projects in Hong Kong totalling US$310,000 amid anti-government protests against the introduction of a now-scrapped extradition bill, it said.

The foundation, sometimes referred to as Washington’s “regime-change arm”, also nominated Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, a leading figure of the Hong Kong movement, for the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize.