The city of Philadelphia is set to hoist the Chinese Communist Party flag outside city hall, sparking controversy as it commemorates the regime’s founding.

The decision sparked swift backlash and letters to Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker to axe the move.

On September 30, the Office of Immigrant Affairs intends to hoist the flag in an event sponsored by the Pennsylvania United Chinese Coalition.

The organization is seeking to improve the CCP’s reputation within America as part of a cultural exchange.

John Moolenaar, who chairs the House Select Committee on the CCP, spearheaded the backlash, issuing an open letter to Parker this week, urging a reevaluation of the proposed event.

‘Raising the national flag of another country on U.S. soil through an official act is a powerful symbol,’ the letter read.

‘Raising a flag serves as a gesture of respect toward a nation, potentially fostering unity and pride among our peoples; however, it may unintentionally convey endorsement of another country’s actions and principles.’

‘The Five-Star Red Flag, embodying the totalitarian government led by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), represents a regime that is persecuting spiritual people of all faiths, including the genocide of Uyghur Muslims.

‘It is a government that actively subsidizes the precursor chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl, which has killed or harmed millions of Americans. It is a Communist Party-State that is diametrically opposed to American values and working to undermine our interests worldwide.’

The committee letter also noted China is often an adversary of America and warned the government of Philadelphia is being ‘exploited as a tool for CCP propaganda.’

‘To cancel the PRC flag-raising ceremony will not only demonstrate that the local government in the United States stands for U.S. values and national interests, but that it stands in support for the people of China who face the regime’s ruthless oppression and transnational repression.’

Philadelphia has a Chinese ‘sister city’ in Tianjin, established in 1979. It is one of the first known ‘sister city’ relationships within the United States and China.

Government officials maintain the flag raising ceremony will be a demonstration of support for the buzzing Chinese community in Philadelphia.

It will mark the third time the flag has been flown – the first taking place in 2017 and then again two years later.

A Fox News opinion piece described the move as ‘a disgrace then and a disgrace now.’

‘All city residents should reject the leadership of Philadelphia’s campaign to betray our founding principles to virtue signal tolerance and diversity — a demonstration of weakness that China is only too happy to exploit.  

‘Communist China has emerged under President Xi Jinping as the polar opposite of everything Philadelphia has traditionally represented. 

‘The CCP is increasingly recognized as the single greatest national security threat to the United States in the 21st century.’

President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have had a testy relationship over the years, worsened recently by Trump’s imposition of sky-high tariffs on Chinese goods.

But the pair are due to meet at a regional summit taking place at the end of October in South Korea, and Trump will visit China in the ‘early part of next year,’ following a lengthy phone call between the two on Friday. 

Trump said the two also made progress on ‘many very important issues including Trade, Fentanyl, the need to bring the War between Russia and Ukraine to an end.’

A day earlier, Trump said Russia’s war in Ukraine could end if European countries put higher tariffs on China. Trump didn’t say if he planned to raise tariffs on Beijing over its purchase of Moscow’s oil, as he has done with India.

U.S. and Chinese officials have held four rounds of trade talks between May and September, with another likely in the coming weeks. Both sides have paused high tariffs and pulled back from harsh export controls.