Chinese American candidates look to make mark in Bay Area

A number of first-generation immigrants from China are seeking public office in California, looking to serve the community, combat attacks on Asians and take Chinese Americans from "politically petrified" into "a force that nobody can ignore".

Voters of Chinese descent expect the candidates to apply their knowledge of China and the United States, along with their cultural bonding with China to reduce confrontation, bolster understanding and ultimately enhance cooperation between the two countries.

There were about 4.7 million Chinese Americans in the United States as of 2022, according to the US Census Bureau, accounting for 19 percent of the nation's total Asian American population.

In California, Chinese Americans make up one of the largest Asian American groups, with an estimated 1.82 million living throughout the Golden State.

"Chinese Americans can and should form a political force that can't be underestimated," said Betty Yuan, a civic group activist in San Francisco who has engaged in many protests for equal rights and against Asian hatred.

"Without participating in politics, we willingly waive our rights as citizens and passively are waiting to be misrepresented or abused. I am happy that many new Chinese immigrants are joining the race."

Sherry Hu, a current member of the City Council in Dublin, California, was a student from China who earned a PhD in architectural engineering at the University of Nebraska.

"Our city needs a leader of vision," said Hu, who was elected to the Dublin City Council in 2020. "Dublin has designated a business development park that awaits high-tech industries, biotech startups and investors," she said, describing areas where she said she could help.

After its incorporation in 1982, Dublin, nestled in a valley about 35 miles (56 kilometers) east of San Francisco, has advanced in areas including education, business, retail, research and innovation. It now has about 70,000 residents, with an annual median household income of $200,000 as of 2023.

Hu has promoted the Dublin business park to groups of entrepreneurs and investors from China, explaining the incentives and perks, working to dispel their doubts, and persuading them to settle there and open offices.

"It's my hope that my network will help strengthen business exchanges and trade between China and the US, and Dublin can attract high-performing Chinese enterprises and investors," she said.

In 2020, Jack Ding became the first Asian American mayor in the 180-year history of Sonoma, a city where Chinese Americans account for only 0.3 percent of the population.

Born and raised in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province, Ding inherited traditional Chinese values such as hard work and giving from his parents and grandparents. He has spent much of his time networking with visitors from China, and his schedule is sometimes packed with receiving Chinese delegations and investors.

"We Chinese Americans always say we want to assimilate to be the mainstream. Actually, when we excel, we are the mainstream, and are leading the trend," Ding said. He has already secured his reelection, as he is running unopposed.

Yajing Zhang, the current president of the Fremont Unified School District Board of Education, is running for the City Council's District 5 because she said "voices of Chinese Americans could be amplified at a higher level through a bigger platform, which in this case is the City Council. We should play a more integral role in a city's decision-making."

"I literally have no experience in politics. However, I told myself someone has to stand up to represent Chinese groups. If I have to go for the race, then go," Zhang said.