United Front Work Department

The United Front Work Department (UFWD) is an organ of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) responsible for conducting "united front work." It manages relations with, gathers intelligence on, and attempts to gain influence over elite individuals and organizations inside and outside mainland China, including in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and in other countries.
The United Front Department was first established in 1938 following the establishment of the Second United Front with the Kuomintang during the Second Sino-Japanese War. In 1944, Central Urban Work Department was established to co-ordinate united front efforts. During the Chinese Civil War, it worked to rally as much as support for the CCP in its fight against the Kuomintang.