China’s influence operations are no longer limited to Washington — they are increasingly playing out at the state and local level across the United States.

In this episode of the China Desk Podcast, host Steve Yates is joined by Ambassador Joseph Cella, founder and president of the Secure Our States Coalition and former U.S. Ambassador to Fiji, for a wide-ranging discussion on how the Chinese Communist Party is targeting American communities, industries, and institutions from the ground up.

Cella explains how his work in Michigan — particularly efforts to push back against CCP-linked projects — led to the creation of the Secure Our States Coalition, a citizen-led initiative focused on identifying, exposing, and countering Chinese influence at the state level. He argues that while federal awareness of the China threat has grown, major gaps still exist in public awareness, policy coordination, and local-level response.

The conversation walks through how CCP-linked entities engage in the United States, often through seemingly legitimate economic activity that carries deeper national security implications. From foreign direct investment and tax incentives to academic partnerships and infrastructure projects, Cella outlines how these efforts exploit America’s open system.

The discussion also explores:

Cella also highlights how political awareness is beginning to catch up, with growing bipartisan attention at the state level and increasing scrutiny of CCP-linked investments. However, he warns that the United States is still playing catch-up after years of underestimating the scope of the threat.

This is a comprehensive look at how geopolitical competition with China is unfolding inside the United States — and why state and local action may be just as critical as federal policy in addressing it.

00:00 — Introduction and Ambassador Joseph Cella joins the podcast

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