Spy who romanced Chinese American politician gets 4-year prison sentence

Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang and her ex-fiance Yaoning 'Mike' Sun.

 
The saga of Yaoning "Mike" Sun and Eileen Wang plays out like a spy thriller set in the suburban quiet of Arcadia, California.

This isn’t just a story about a campaign manager and a candidate; it’s a cautionary tale of how global power plays can reach right into an American City Council chamber. Here is the breakdown of the rise and fall of this Southern California power couple.

On February 9, a federal judge sentenced the 65-year old Sun to four years in prison. He pleaded guilty to acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government, admitting that he took orders (and sought funding) from Beijin

The Power Couple of the SGV

For years, Mike Sun and Eileen Wang were a fixture in the San Gabriel Valley’s political and business circles. They weren't just partners in politics; they were romantic partners, once engaged to be married. They were seen as a "power couple" of the San Gabriel Valley, home to a large AAPI community of Chinese, Vietnamese, Koreans, Filipinos and Pacific Islanders.

Together, they operated the US News Center, a Chinese-language outlet. Wang owned it; Sun directed it.

Sun was the architect behind Wang’s 2022 victory for the Arcadia City Council. He served as her campaign manager and treasurer, successfully branding her as a "new political star."

'Cultivating' a US politician

The narrative shifted dramatically in late 2024 when the FBI pulled back the curtain on Sun’s side hustle. Federal prosecutors revealed that while Sun was managing Wang’s career, he was also reporting back to the People's Republic of China (PRC).

According to the DOJ:

Sun allegedly viewed Wang as an asset to be "cultivated" to promote pro-Beijing policies within the U.S;

The media outlet they shared was used to disseminate pro-PRC content, often at the direct request of Chinese officials; and

In a move straight out of a movie, Sun tracked and reported on the movements of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen during her 2023 visit to California.

The fallout has been swift and definitive for Sun, while the political dust is still settling for Wang.

The most uncomfortable part of this story is the timing. Just days before Sun’s sentencing, Eileen Wang was sworn in as the Mayor of Arcadia, a city where 60% of its residents are of Asian descent. The spy case overshadows the historic swearing in ceremony giving the city four Asian American council members.

Wang hasn't been charged with a crime, and she’s been quick to distance herself, claiming she was "deceived" by a man she loved.

At her swearing-in, she made a point to say her loyalty is only to this country. But in the court of public opinion — especially in a city where over 60% of the residents are Asian — the optics are brutal. In federal filings, she is referred to as "Individual 1," part of a team Sun boasted was "dedicated" to the PRC's interests.

“When Americans vote for elected officials, they expect them to represent the interests of their constituents – not those of a foreign adversary like the Chinese government,” said Roman Rozhavsky, assistant director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “By exploiting his position as a campaign advisor, Yaoning Sun attempted to undermine our political processes and democratic institutions for the benefit of the Chinese Communist Party.”

View from the edge

For those of us in the AAPI community, this case is a gut punch. It’s exactly the kind of fuel that drives the "perpetual foreigner" stereotype. We already fight to prove we belong; stories like this make it that much harder for every other Asian American who wants to serve on a school board or a city council without their loyalty being questioned.

On the other hand, there is the ever-present fear of the "perpetual foreigner" trope. Cases like Sun’s can unfairly cast a shadow of suspicion over every Chinese American who dares to run for office or engage in civic life.

As the PRC ramps up its efforts to influence Asian America and US policies, the challenge for Asian Americans is to remain vigilant against foreign interference without letting that vigilance turn into internal paranoia.

The Sun-Wang case serves as a loud wake-up call. It highlights how international power plays are no longer confined to Washington D.C. or the UN; they are playing out in our school boards, city councils, and local town halls.

The PRC is playing a dangerous game, using personal relationships and local dreams to build a beachhead in American politics. But the real collateral damage is not only the trust within our own community, but also how we are perceived by the rest of America.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge.