Democratic congressman Josh Riley of New York is facing scrutiny over his family ties to a Chinese Communist Party-linked organization. Riley's father-in-law, Harinder Kohli, is the founding director and chief executive of the Emerging Markets Forum, a nonprofit that hosts an annual 'Global Meeting' centered on economic issues facing developing nations. The forum has deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and has partnered with the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, an arm of the CCP's 'United Front' system, which aims to establish Chinese influence abroad.
The Emerging Markets Forum was cofounded by Kohli in 2005 and has since become a prominent platform for promoting the CCP's Belt and Road Initiative, a massive international economic strategy aimed at bringing foreign nations closer to Beijing and further from the United States. The initiative, launched by Chinese president Xi Jinping in 2013, doles out loans to developing countries to build infrastructure such as power plants and airports. However, China's lending practices have been criticized for using opaque financing and saddling nations with hefty debts.
Riley himself has attended at least three of the forum's events, including the 2014, 2017, and 2019 global meetings. During the 2017 event, he spoke on a panel titled 'The Pushbacks against Globalization: Possible Ways Forward' alongside Biliang Hu, who at the time was the dean of the Emerging Markets Institute. Hu went on to become the executive dean of Beijing Normal University's Belt and Road School, which was founded to train 'international talents for the 'Belt and Road Initiative'' and to promote the program.
Riley's ties to the Chinese government and its foreign influence operations have raised concerns about his stance on Chinese influence in the US. In 2025, he voted against the DETERRENT Act, which would have required universities and colleges to disclose gifts of any amount from 'a foreign country of concern', with China and Russia named as examples, and to obtain waivers before inking contracts with such nations. The bill was aimed at curbing Chinese influence peddling in the US, but Riley opposed it, citing concerns about the impact on academic freedom.
The Emerging Markets Forum's ties to the CCP may explain why it promotes trade with US adversaries like China and boosts Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative. Kohli, Riley's father-in-law, is the editor of the 2019 book China's Belt and Road Initiative: Potential Transformation of Central Asia and the South Caucasus, which advises developing countries on how to 'realize the promise of the BRI … while avoiding the pitfalls that lie along the way.' The book has been criticized for promoting a pro-CCP agenda and downplaying the risks associated with the Belt and Road Initiative.
Riley's family ties to the Chinese government and its foreign influence operations come as he faces a challenge from Republican state senator Peter Oberacker in New York's competitive 19th Congressional District. The race could help determine which party controls the House, and Riley's connections to the Belt and Road Initiative could be particularly troubling for him, as China has used the program to reduce its independence on US agriculture, a major industry in the district.
Riley did not respond to a request for comment on his ties to the Emerging Markets Forum and the CCP. His father-in-law, Kohli, has praised projects created through the Belt and Road Initiative as being 'built to the best world standards,' according to CCP-run Xinhua News Agency. However, critics argue that the initiative is a tool for Chinese expansionism and that the US should be wary of its intentions.
Riley's background and experience have been subject to scrutiny in the past. He is a Harvard Law School graduate and worked as former Democratic senator Al Franken's general counsel and at the international law firm Boies Schiller Flexner. He moved back to upstate New York to run for Congress in 2022, presenting himself as a flannel-wearing fifth-generation upstate New Yorker who grew up in a 'working-class neighborhood' and was 'running for Congress to give working families a Square Deal.' However, his ties to the Chinese government and its foreign influence operations have raised questions about his loyalty to US interests.
The issue of Chinese influence in the US is a complex and contentious one, with many arguing that the US should be more vigilant in its dealings with China. The CCP's Belt and Road Initiative has been criticized for its lack of transparency and its potential to create debt traps for participating nations. As the US and China continue to navigate their complex and often contentious relationship, the issue of Chinese influence in the US is likely to remain a major point of contention.
The US Congress has been increasingly concerned about Chinese influence operations in the US, with several bills aimed at curbing Chinese influence peddling and promoting transparency in US-China relations. The DETERRENT Act, which Riley voted against, is just one example of the legislative efforts to address the issue. The US government has also taken steps to counter Chinese influence, including the establishment of the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, which provides annual reports to Congress on the national security implications of the US-China trade and economic relationship.
The Congressional-Executive Commission on China, established in 2000, is another example of the US government's efforts to monitor and address Chinese human rights and rule of law issues, as well as the security implications of the US-China relationship. The commission has held numerous hearings and issued reports on topics such as Chinese censorship, surveillance, and repression, as well as the CCP's influence operations in the US.
For American readers, the issue of Chinese influence in the US is a critical one, as it has significant implications for US national security, economic competitiveness, and democratic values. The US government's response to Chinese influence operations will be closely watched, and lawmakers like Riley will be under scrutiny for their stance on the issue. As the US and China continue to navigate their complex relationship, the US public will be looking for leaders who can effectively address the challenges posed by Chinese influence and promote a strong and resilient US-China relationship.
For Canadian readers, the issue of Chinese influence in the US is also relevant, as Canada has its own concerns about Chinese influence operations. The Canadian government has taken steps to address the issue, including the establishment of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, which provides oversight of national security and intelligence matters, including those related to China. Canada has also been critical of Chinese human rights abuses and has called for greater transparency in Chinese business practices.
In conclusion, the issue of Chinese influence in the US is a complex and contentious one, with significant implications for US national security, economic competitiveness, and democratic values. The US government's response to Chinese influence operations will be closely watched, and lawmakers like Riley will be under scrutiny for their stance on the issue. As the US and China continue to navigate their complex relationship, the US public will be looking for leaders who can effectively address the challenges posed by Chinese influence and promote a strong and resilient US-China relationship.