China is taking advantage of the freedoms in the US to conduct a large-scale propaganda campaign.

It’s hard to fathom that any nation would allow a dangerous adversary to establish a massive propaganda operation within its borders, openly attempting to sway its citizens, undermine its institutions, and subjugate it.

Yet, sadly, this is the reality of the country you currently reside in.

For years, the Washington leadership has permitted China, a declared enemy of the United States, to create an extensive network of front organizations, Confucius Institutes, and media entities throughout the nation. More recently, social media platforms like TikTok have been added to the mix.

Beijing’s objective, “China wins, America loses,” remains unchanged.

Since the normalization of diplomatic relations in 1979, China has been actively creating pro-CCP organizations and undermining existing ones to advance its interests.

As early as 1998, there were an estimated eight thousand such front groups in operation, according to the Cox Commission. The number has certainly grown significantly since then.

In May 2019, the Chinese Communist Party declared a “People’s War” on America.

These China-affiliated organizations have significant influence in major American cities like New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, supporting the election of China-friendly politicians and recommending individuals like Gov. Hochul’s aide Linda Sun for key government positions post-elections.

They are bolstered by China-backed newspapers widely circulating in major cities, serving China’s interests.

China Daily’s newspaper boxes are visible on many street corners in cities like New York, reflecting China’s propaganda efforts.

The proliferation of Confucius Institutes on American campuses began in the early 2000s.

Today, about 60 of these establishments are persuading young Americans with distorted narratives, denying events like the Tiananmen Massacre, asserting Tibet’s integral part of China, and opposing Taiwan’s independence.

To counter this infiltration, we must embrace “strict reciprocity.”

Currently, attempting to distribute uncensored US newspapers in Beijing leads to arrest for “spreading propaganda.” As long as this is the case, China-affiliated media entities operating in the US should be shut down.

The US is not allowed to establish George Washington Institutes on Chinese campuses, thus Confucius Institutes on American soil should be closed down as well.

We must safeguard freedom of speech, assembly, and association while implementing strict reciprocity to reduce China’s influence operations in the US.

With an embassy and five consulates in the US versus the US’s embassy and four consulates in China, reciprocity dictates closing China’s Houston consulate.

We should limit the numbers of embassy and consulate personnel as well as journalists to achieve reciprocity and protect American interests.

Our founders advocated for an open market of ideas to combat propaganda, which remains the best approach.

While defending diverse viewpoints, we cannot allow Communist China to exploit the rights and protections provided by the Constitution that it seeks to undermine.

Steven W. Mosher is the President of the Population Research Institute and a former Commissioner of the Congressional-Executive Commission on Broadcasting to China.