London, Aug 14 (IANS) China has been suspected of providing funds for the pro-Palestine marches in the United Kingdom (UK) with the US lawmakers carrying out a probe into alleged secret Chinese backing of ‘Code Pink’ analysing its activities as part of an inquiry into foreign interference, a report has said.
Code Pink, a far-Left feminist protest group set up in the US, has organised protests in the UK against Britain’s involvement in what it describes as the “genocide in Gaza” and urged its activists to hold protests outside Royal Air Force (RAF) bases and released statements that UK lawmakers have been “bought by Zionism,” leading UK daily ‘The Telegraph’ reported.
The probe comes amid concern that China wants to exploit divisive causes in the West to create social tensions and spark what critics term as “political warfare” against its adversaries.
The US investigation has been analysing £250,000 in alleged payments made to a firm related to Code Pink in the UK from companies associated with Neville Roy Singham, a tech tycoon accused of funding Chinese propaganda around the world, the UK daily reported.
“It’s clear from the Ways and Means Committee investigation that Singham’s money and influence does not stop at America’s borders,” The Telegraph quoted the US Congress Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith as saying. Smith said that the committee knows that Singham’s funding has been backing pro-Hamas and pro-communist causes not only in the US, but other nations, including in the UK.
A congressional source revealed that investigators were aware of China allegedly funding groups in the UK and that it was part of their probe.
“We are aware that China is funding pro-Hamas and leftists in the UK and the US,” The Telegraph quoted the source as saying. The source further stated, “That is why we are investigating it and will continue to do so.”
According to the newspaper, Singham, who has been facing several investigations over allegations that his network was creating pro-China propaganda on behalf of the communist regime in Beijing, has provided millions of dollars to Code Pink in the US.
A firm based in Britain with connections to Code Pink received over USD 250,000 from groups which were allegedly part of Singham’s network in 2020 and 2021. People’s Support Foundation, another organisation suspected of being part of Singham’s network for “consulting services”, provided USD 94,950 to the company in 2024, The Telegraph reported.
Code Pink has been urging its activists to participate in the pro-Palestinian marches in the UK and organised protests outside the Ministry of Defence and the London office of an army company.
–IANS
akl/as
