China pancake seller in US plans to run for mayor, generating buzz despite thorny past
Street snack vendor who turned to charity after controversies aims to ‘make Los Angeles great again’, faces immigration status hurdles
A Chinese pancake seller in the US has announced plans to run for mayor within three years, despite past controversy over an arrest.
Tang, 31, was born to a rural family in Sichuan, southwestern China, and left school after secondary education. He is the son of a security guard and a cleaner.
After working in sales and the car industry, he moved to the US in 2022, with little English, first taking a job at a used-car showroom.
Two years later, he settled in Los Angeles and began selling savoury pancakes on the street, relying on translation apps to speak with customers.
According to Jiupai News, he charged US$10 to US$60 per serving and made more than US$150,000 in his first year, with monthly income at one point exceeding US$20,000.