The Vice Chairman of the Munich Security Conference and a former Ambassador of the European Union to the U.S. headlined an event sponsored by a leading Chinese Communist Party influence group, The National Pulse can reveal.

The group, the China-United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF), has been identified by the U.S. federal government as seeking to  “influence foreign governments to take actions or adopt positions supportive of Beijing.”

CUSEF functions as part China’s “United Front,” which works “to co-opt and neutralize sources of potential opposition to the policies and authority of its ruling Chinese Communist Party.” The U.S. State Department has also compared the effort to the Chinese regime’s “magic weapon” to advance its preferred policies by infiltrating American politics, media, and academia.

Despite these concerning ties, Former Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to the U.S., David O’Sullivan, and Former Deputy Ambassador of Germany to the U.S., Boris Ruge, headlined a virtual webinar hosted by the group on September 20th. The event, which “assess[ed] the U.S-China relationship and how it informs European politics, trade, and perspectives,” was held in collaboration with the Association of Former Members of Congress.

“The webinar covered the challenges of the U.S.-China relationship. In particular, the speakers provided insights from a European point of view on issues relating to Taiwan, the current war in Ukraine, the changes in European perception of China, possible future EU engagement and partnership with China, and more,” explained a synopsis of the event.

O’Sullivan, currently the Director General of the Institute of International and European Affairs, has held a variety of influential positions within the European Union including Chief Operating Officer of the European External Action Service (EEAS), which is the diplomatic service and combined foreign and defense ministry of the EU.

Ruge also has ties to the EU’s military infrastructure, as he currently serves as the Vice Chairman of the Munich Security Conference, the premier forum for international security issues.

The event was moderated by Professor Alejandro Reyes, a former Senior Policy Adviser within the Canadian Foreign Ministry who has also worked with the Clinton Global Initiative and the World Economic Forum.