Axios obtained a written agreement dated 2019 that spells out the details of a $5 million grant
A nonprofit affiliated with the late former President George H.W. Bush agreed to accept $5 million from a policy group at the center of China’s U.S. influence efforts, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: As tensions escalate between the U.S. and China, leaders with the George H.W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations have sounded off for closer ties — and while criticizing Beijing in some cases, have toed China’s line on some major geopolitical issues.
Driving the news: Axios obtained a written agreement that spells out the details of a $5 million grant from the China-United States Exchange Foundation to the Bush China Foundation, established in 2017 with the former president’s blessing.
- CUSEF leadership has close ties to Chinese government officials, and the group has a reputation as an arm of Bejing’s political influence operation. It provided a significant share of the funds for the Bush group’s efforts to improve Sino-American relations.
Source: Scoop: Bush family nonprofit’s $5 million deal with a China influence group – Axios