The escalating foreign agent scandal in the U.S. has led to the departure of China’s top diplomat in New York, the Consul General Huang Ping. This follows the arrest of a former aide to Governor Kathy Hochul on charges related to espionage.
On Wednesday, Governor Hochul confirmed Huang’s exit from his role. When asked about this during a State Department briefing, spokesperson Matthew Miller clarified that Huang’s departure was due to the end of a scheduled rotation in August rather than an expulsion.
Miller emphasized the seriousness of foreign interference, particularly covert activities that should be registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act but aren’t. This statement came shortly after the arrest of Linda Sun, a U.S.-naturalized citizen originally from China, and her husband, Christopher Hu.
The couple was taken into custody at their luxury Long Island home. Sun, previously the deputy chief of staff for Hochul and a former chief diversity officer under Andrew Cuomo, faces serious charges for allegedly accepting millions in exchange for influencing state politics. The couple reportedly used these funds to finance luxurious purchases, including properties and high-end cars.
A portion of the 64-page indictment details how Sun intervened to block Hochul from attending an event hosted by Taiwan’s de facto embassy in 2016. In her communication with a Chinese consulate official, she indicated efforts to resolve this issue, demonstrating her involvement in political maneuvering on behalf of foreign interests.
Addiitionally, Sun reportedly clashed with Hochul’s speechwriter over references to human rights abuses affecting Uyghurs in China, a point of contention that highlights the sensitivity of discussing such topics.
Ultimately, Hochul attended a different event linked to the Chinese embassy, marking a significant moment amid the ongoing tensions. Sun and Hu have pleaded not guilty to the charges, and Sun has been released on a $1.5 million bond.