Christine Fang, also known as Fang Fang, was a Chinese spy who formed relationships with up-and-coming US politicians between 2011 and 2015.
Christine arrived from China in 2011 to study at California State University East Bay, where she became president of both the Chinese Student Association and the campus chapter of Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs. She appeared older than most other CSU students and spent much of her time at networking events in the Bay Area and elsewhere.
In October 2012 she was photographed at an event with Eric Swalwell, who at the time was a city councilmember in Dublin City, CA, and running as a Democratic candidate for the US House of Representatives. After he was elected, Swalwell joined the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in January 2015 and was the lead Democrat representative on the subcommittee for oversight of the CIA. Christine was closely linked to his campaign, bringing in donors and recommending at least one intern who worked in his office.
She was also photographed with Fremont Mayor Bill Harrison (picture 3), US Representative Judy Chu (picture 4), US Representative Mike Honda and San Jose City Councilmember Ash Kalra (picture 5), and others. In 2011 she was seen with a Chinese consular official and Russell Lowe, the office director for Senator Dianne Feinstein. Lowe was later revealed to be a Chinese intelligence agent as well (picture 6).
Christine also had romantic or sexual relationships with two mayors from midwestern cities, cultivating contacts around the country according to reporting by Zach Dorfman for Axios.
In 2015, the FBI provided a defensive counterespionage briefing to Representative Swalwell, after which he ceased all contact with Christine.
In March 2024, Chinese journalist Hu Xijin posted a photo on Twitter of himself at lunch with Christine Fang in Beijing (picture 7). He wrote that she was approached by the CIA and FBI in 2015 and offered $1,000,000 plus US citizenship for her cooperation. She declined their offer and returned home to China three days later.
Christine arrived from China in 2011 to study at California State University East Bay, where she became president of both the Chinese Student Association and the campus chapter of Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs. She appeared older than most other CSU students and spent much of her time at networking events in the Bay Area and elsewhere.
In October 2012 she was photographed at an event with Eric Swalwell, who at the time was a city councilmember in Dublin City, CA, and running as a Democratic candidate for the US House of Representatives. After he was elected, Swalwell joined the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence in January 2015 and was the lead Democrat representative on the subcommittee for oversight of the CIA. Christine was closely linked to his campaign, bringing in donors and recommending at least one intern who worked in his office.
She was also photographed with Fremont Mayor Bill Harrison (picture 3), US Representative Judy Chu (picture 4), US Representative Mike Honda and San Jose City Councilmember Ash Kalra (picture 5), and others. In 2011 she was seen with a Chinese consular official and Russell Lowe, the office director for Senator Dianne Feinstein. Lowe was later revealed to be a Chinese intelligence agent as well (picture 6).
Christine also had romantic or sexual relationships with two mayors from midwestern cities, cultivating contacts around the country according to reporting by Zach Dorfman for Axios.
In 2015, the FBI provided a defensive counterespionage briefing to Representative Swalwell, after which he ceased all contact with Christine.
In March 2024, Chinese journalist Hu Xijin posted a photo on Twitter of himself at lunch with Christine Fang in Beijing (picture 7). He wrote that she was approached by the CIA and FBI in 2015 and offered $1,000,000 plus US citizenship for her cooperation. She declined their offer and returned home to China three days later.
