Wang Zaozao, a Chinese-born educator and interpreter affiliated with Columbia University, has become a familiar presence at high-profile Democratic events across New York. Over the past four to five years, she’s been spotted alongside figures like Mayor Eric Adams and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, often serving as a bilingual host or emcee at cultural celebrations—most notably at Lunar New Year and Asian heritage events.
A review of her credentials reveals formal ties to China’s Ministry of Education, which is overseen by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Wang’s Zao Learning Center, founded in 2018, trains bilingual child actors and models in New York and Taiwan. Her public affiliations also include work with a CCP-affiliated cultural organization and serving as a special correspondent for a Chinese state-run news outlet.
Wang frequently appears in photos with Chinese diplomats (including the Consul General in New York) and local Democratic leaders, portraying herself as “an old friend who listens.” While lawmakers like Congressman Josh Gottheimer emphasize these interactions stem from community engagement and cultural diplomacy, national security analysts caution that such relationships may reflect broader influence operations by the CCP, especially through United Front-linked organizations aimed at shaping overseas perceptions.