China’s “citizen external propaganda” pipeline put Chinese nationals inside Congress. They wrote lawmaker speeches, researched policy and responded to American constituents.

Natalie Winters: One participant was unusually explicit about what the opportunity represented.

Beijing International Studies University graduate student Zhang Xiaoyi described her time on Capitol Hill as a rare opportunity for “citizen external propaganda.”

Other participants went on to advise senior Chinese Communist Party and government bodies on how Congress functions, how it shapes U.S. policy, and how Beijing should respond…