Here’s what was learned.
A Democrat being discussed as a possible 2028 presidential candidate is facing new scrutiny over his longtime relationship with a California businessman whose extensive dealings with China have included interactions with Chinese Communist Party officials and organizations.
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., has publicly praised businessman Henry Yin for his “leadership” and previously described him as one of his “good friends.”
Khanna also announced in 2019 that Yin would serve as his senior advisor on foreign trade and economic development.
That history is attracting fresh attention as Khanna’s name circulates as a potential Democratic presidential contender in 2028 — especially because the California congressman now serves on the House Select Committee focused on the Chinese Communist Party.
The controversy does not establish wrongdoing by Khanna. But it could leave the Democrat facing uncomfortable questions about his past relationship with Yin and exactly what role the businessman played in his political orbit.
Khanna Publicly Announced Yin As An Advisor
The relationship between Khanna and Yin stretches back years.
In September 2019, Khanna publicly announced that Yin would “serve as my Senior Advisor on Foreign Trade and Economic Development.”
Khanna said they had discussed improving U.S.-China relations in areas including medical research and climate policy while protecting American intellectual property and expanding access to foreign markets.
Several months later, Khanna publicly thanked Yin for his leadership.
Yin also invited Khanna to attend a U.S.-China trade dinner sponsored by Yin’s consulting company, USA-China-Link. The gathering included discussions involving Chinese investment, technology, business management and intellectual property.
Then, in February 2020, Khanna posted a photograph showing himself having dinner with Yin and referred to the businessman as one of his “good friends.”
But there is now disagreement over exactly what Yin’s advisor title meant.
Khanna’s Office Pushes Back
Despite Khanna’s previous public announcement, a spokesperson for the congressman told Fox News Digital earlier this year that Yin had never been employed by Khanna.
The spokesperson also said Yin did not serve in any role with Khanna’s congressional office or political campaign.
That distinction is important because someone can be publicly described as an advisor without necessarily being a congressional employee.
However, Yin’s LinkedIn profile reportedly continued to list the senior advisor title.
APAPA, the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association, stated in a 2022 announcement that Yin had previously held a senior advisory role with Khanna.
APAPA now says its current leadership has no records confirming such a position and is reviewing older online material that could contain outdated or inaccurate information.
The conflicting accounts raise a straightforward question: What exactly did Khanna mean when he publicly announced Yin as his senior advisor in 2019?
Decades Of Business Dealings With China
Yin’s background adds another layer to the story.
Born in China and raised in Taiwan before eventually moving to the United States, Yin has spent decades working on business relationships between California and China.
A 2011 profile reported that Yin made significant money selling used computer equipment to China and had already been conducting business there for more than 25 years.
He later helped organize trade delegations and worked with companies attempting to establish operations on both sides of the Pacific.
Yin’s government involvement was bipartisan.
Republican California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed him to the California Commission for Economic Development in 2010. Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown later reappointed him in 2015.
His consulting firm, USA-China-Link, specialized in facilitating business between California and China, according to professional materials attributed to Yin.
Those materials reportedly described him at one point as an official U.S. commerce representative for China’s Fujian province.
Meetings With Chinese Officials Raise Questions
Yin’s connections went beyond ordinary business transactions.
Professional materials reportedly show him attending China’s National Day celebration at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People in 2009.
The event was attended by some of China’s most powerful political figures, including then-President Hu Jintao, future President Xi Jinping and other senior Chinese Communist Party officials.
Yin has also made numerous trips to China over the years.
During a July 2026 visit to Guangzhou, he reportedly led a delegation that met a senior official from Guangdong Province’s commerce department. Chinese reporting described the discussions as focusing on increased trade between California and Guangdong.
Earlier in 2026, Yin attended a China-California economic and trade forum hosted by the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles.
He was also reported to have accompanied California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s delegation to China in 2023 as an advisor.
Newsom met Xi Jinping and other senior Chinese officials during that trip.
None of those meetings alone demonstrates improper activity. Business leaders and government representatives routinely participate in international trade discussions.
But Yin’s extensive history of interactions involving Chinese government officials is receiving greater attention because of Washington’s growing concerns about Beijing’s attempts to expand its influence in the United States.
United Front Allegations Surface
One of the more serious questions involves China’s United Front system.
China expert Jacqueline Deal has alleged that Yin attended at least 10 events hosted by groups associated with the United Front, including the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese.
The Chinese Communist Party uses its broader United Front apparatus to build relationships and expand Beijing’s influence among organizations and communities outside mainland China.
The allegations do not establish that Yin worked for the Chinese Communist Party or participated in illegal activity.
But for a politician serving on a congressional committee dedicated to confronting challenges posed by the CCP, the relationship could become politically difficult to explain.
The Fang Fang Connection
Another element of the controversy involves Christine Fang, better known as Fang Fang.
Fang became nationally known following reports about an FBI counterintelligence investigation examining her activities and relationships with American political figures, including former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell.
A photograph from a 2013 gathering appears to show Fang at the same event as Yin, China’s then-consul general in San Francisco and other members of APAPA.
Yin previously said Fang had been active around APAPA’s Bay Area chapter and that he remembered seeing her at multiple events.
That does not establish a close relationship between Yin and Fang.
There is another unresolved element.
A declassified FBI report referred to a prominent Bay Area businessman associated with APAPA who introduced Swalwell to Fang.
Fox News Digital reported that it could not determine whether that unidentified individual was Henry Yin, his brother C.C. Yin or somebody else.
There is therefore no confirmed evidence identifying Henry Yin as the individual referenced in that portion of the FBI report.
APAPA has also said the 2013 gathering depicted in the photograph appears to have been private and should not be interpreted as representing the organization’s official activities or positions.
Yin currently serves on APAPA’s board.
Khanna And Yin Seen Together Again In 2026
Despite the questions surrounding Yin’s previous advisor title, the two men have continued appearing at some of the same events.
In February 2026, Khanna posted a photograph showing himself seated beside Yin at a political action committee gathering in Sunnyvale, California.
Khanna said the gathering gave him an opportunity to hear from Chinese American community leaders in the district.
The appearance does not demonstrate anything improper, but it shows that Khanna and Yin continued crossing paths years after Khanna initially announced him as an advisor.
Why This Could Follow Khanna Into 2028
Khanna has increasingly been discussed as a potential Democratic presidential contender in 2028.
That makes the timing of these revelations politically significant.
China is one of America’s most important economic, military and national-security competitors, and concern over Beijing’s influence inside the United States has become increasingly bipartisan.
Khanna’s own position makes the issue even more notable.
He serves on the House Select Committee tasked with examining the challenges presented by the Chinese Communist Party.
If Khanna eventually runs for president, voters may want answers to several basic questions.
What exactly was Yin’s role when Khanna publicly announced him as a senior advisor?
Was the position official, informal or honorary?
How closely did Yin advise the congressman on U.S.-China economic issues?
And what did Khanna know about Yin’s extensive interactions with Chinese officials and organizations?
There is no evidence presented here that Khanna acted illegally, worked on behalf of China or knowingly participated in a Chinese influence operation.
But presidential candidates receive far more scrutiny than members of Congress.
If Khanna enters the 2028 race, his past relationship with a businessman who spent decades cultivating economic connections between California and China could become one of the issues he is forced to explain.
For voters concerned about America’s relationship with Communist China, those answers could matter long before the first 2028 presidential ballots are cast.
