Letter to Mayor Cherelle Parker Urging Cancellation of CCP Flag-Raising Ceremony and Termination of Tianjin Sister-City Tie

The Select Committee urges Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker to cancel the planned September 30, 2025 flag-raising ceremony honoring the People’s Republic of China (PRC). While recognizing the value of free expression in the U.S., the Committee stresses that an official PRC flag-raising risks legitimizing the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) authoritarian regime—a government engaged in genocide against Uyghur Muslims, persecution of religious communities, and enabling the fentanyl crisis devastating American families.

The Committee highlights concerns that local organizers of the ceremony, including the Pennsylvania United Chinese Coalition (PUCC) and the Greater Philadelphia Fujian Hometown Association, have documented ties to the CCP’s United Front system. These networks are used by Beijing to influence U.S. politics, monitor the Chinese diaspora, and advance CCP objectives under the guise of civic organizations. The letter cites prior examples across the United States of United Front–linked “hometown associations” engaging in covert influence operations, even interfering in American elections.

The Committee also raises broader concerns about Philadelphia’s “sister city” relationship with Tianjin, warning that such arrangements are often exploited by the CCP for propaganda and influence. The Chairman requests the city terminate both the flag-raising ceremony and its sister-city ties with Tianjin, emphasizing that such actions would demonstrate solidarity with Chinese citizens oppressed by

Read the full letter here