FEBRUARY 25, 2023
The suggestions in recent media accounts that Mr. Dominic Ng is or in the past was a foreign agent are not true.
From 2011 to 2014, Mr. Ng served as Chairman of the Committee of 100. Committee of 100 is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization of prominent American citizens of Chinese descent founded in 1989 by I.M Pei, Yo-Yo Ma and others. Mr. Ng was elected to the position of Chairman by the members of the organization. The purpose of the organization is to build awareness of Chinese American contributions to the U.S. and to foster constructive relations between the U.S. and Greater China. As part of this role, he would lead delegations to Beijing, Taipei and Washington D.C. to meet with government leaders.
During that time, overseas Chinese organizations such as the Committee of 100 were required to coordinate all activities in China through the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office (OCAO). The OCAO connected Committee of 100 members with other overseas Chinese communities through the Chinese Overseas Exchange Association (COEA), a Chinese nonprofit organization that operated under the guidance of the OCAO. According to its archived website, the COEA was founded in 1990 to encourage business and cultural exchanges between China and overseas ethnic Chinese communities. The COEA membership included prominent overseas Chinese business and community leaders around the world.
As the then Chairman of the Committee of 100, Mr. Ng was invited to join the COEA along with over 250 individuals worldwide including over 20 prominent Chinese Americans in the United States at his affiliate level. Mr. Ng was an inactive member with no responsibilities. He did not attend any of the association’s membership meetings. He neither paid dues nor received payments. Mr. Ng resigned from the COEA after he stepped down as Chairman of the Committee of 100.
Several media accounts misleadingly portrayed Mr. Ng’s role in COEA, implying he was the organization’s senior operating manager. This characterization is completely false. Obviously, there cannot be over 250 people in the role of being the person in charge.
Mr. Ng was later invited to join the Chinese Overseas Friendship Association (COFA). He declined the invitation and was not aware his name was listed as a member on the association’s website until revealed by the recent media coverage. Mr. Ng did not receive payments or make payments, nor did he attend any COFA membership meetings.
Mr. Ng was appointed to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council because of his knowledge and experience with business in Asia and is proud to represent the U.S. in this capacity. Meeting with Chinese, Taiwan and U.S. government officials is part of his job as Chairman of East West Bank, as a member of Committee 100, and now as the chair of the APEC Business Advisory Council.
Like other global chief executives and leaders of nongovernmental organizations, Mr. Ng regularly interacts with government officials and non-governmental organizations in the US and Asia. This is not somehow un-American, inappropriate, or suspicious as implied by some media accounts.
Mr. Ng states: “I am a proud American citizen who is proud to serve his country. False accusations will not deter me from working towards a more inclusive America and the promise of belonging for all Americans.”