Carmel will lose its membership with Chinese cultural and business exchange organizations, but will maintain its sister city agreement with Xiangyang City, Hubei Province.
Mayor Sue Finkum has informed the American Heartland China Association that its $25,000 annual membership will not be renewed this year, but the city’s 12-year sister city agreement with Xiangyang will be maintained.
“Sister city relationships around the world, such as the one we have with Xiangyang, provide great cultural value to our residents, including the many freedom-loving Chinese Americans who call our great city home. Finchum said in an email to IndyStar.
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The action comes after Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Banks called on Carmel to end its sister city relationship and withdraw from USCHA, which he called “a dangerous group that puts the Chinese Communist Party and its interests first.” It took place a week later.
At the time, he also criticized former Mayor Jim Brainard, who went on a 10-day trip to China with other mayors last November under the auspices of USCHA. He claimed that the USHCA is working with Chinese government-backed organizations that aim to “infiltrate and influence the United States and other foreign governments.”
Mr. Brainard accused Mr. Banks of “lying” about himself and his organization and throwing “red meat” at voters in order to get elected to the U.S. Senate.
“He’s been trolling articles and telling blatant lies about me,” said Brainard, who is also vice president of the USHCA. “It’s sad that Senate candidates make things up just to get elected.”
Brainard said Banks said in an interview on the All Indiana Politics podcast in early February that Brainard was “wining and dining her, including expensive drinks and massages.” I was furious at what I had said.
“He wasn’t there. How could he have known that? He just made it up,” Brainard said.
Buckley Carlson, a spokesman for Banks, said he referenced a passage in a Washington Post article about a visit in which Banks claimed the mayors were “more or less welcomed.”
It was the same story that prompted Mr. Banks to write to Mr. Finkum, arguing that the Chinese government is seeking to “strengthen relationships” with American cities amidst worsening relations with members of Congress. Carlson also pointed to testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee in which experts claimed that the China-US Exchange Foundation, a Communist Party front group, was affiliated with the USHCA.
Carlson said Banks, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on the Communist Party of China, will release more information about the alleged relationship next week.
USHCA is a nonprofit organization established to strengthen economic, cultural, and personal ties with China. Members include her 27 mayors from 20 Midwestern states. Carmel, which is home to 150 corporate headquarters and has a large Chinese population, benefits from these connections as much as any other city, Brainerd said.
Brainard said the visit with the six mayors was reviewed and approved by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Ambassador’s Office. The group said the visit followed a visit by a bipartisan delegation of six U.S. senators. Visit from California Governor Gavin Newsom. and a meeting between President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping in San Francisco.
“Even if we disagree with their abysmal record on human rights and other issues, it’s important to maintain that relationship,” Brainard said. “Wars start because we stop talking to each other.”
Finkham said in a statement that dues could be “better spent” elsewhere given the “numerous concerns Congress has about this organization.”
Brainerd, who stepped down after six terms last year and supported Finchum, declined to criticize her.
“It’s her choice,” he said. “As mayor, she has things to consider in terms of her finances.”
Call IndyStar reporter John Tuohy at 317-444-6418 or email john.tuohy@indystar.com. Follow him on Facebook and his X/Twitter.