China's consul general in New York has been expelled following the charges against a former aide for New York governors Kathy Hochul and Andrew Cuomo, who was accused of acting as an agent for the Chinese government. The announcement was made by Hochul during a press conference where she revealed that she had requested the expulsion of the consul general.
The former aide, Linda Sun, and her husband, Chris Hu, were charged with various offenses including violating the Foreign Agents Registrations Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy. Both Sun and Hu pleaded not guilty to the charges in federal court.
Hochul expressed her disappointment in Sun's actions, calling it a betrayal of trust and revealing that Sun had even forged her signature on documents. She emphasized that Sun was a mid-level aide with limited contact and no significant role in her policies as governor.
The governor assured that the vetting process for state employees is rigorous, with high levels of background checks in place. She also mentioned that she has been cooperating with the Department of Justice in the investigation and will continue to do so.
The indictment against Sun alleges that she acted as an undisclosed agent of the Chinese government, influencing messaging on China-related issues and blocking access to Taiwanese government representatives. The arrest of Sun and Hu comes at a time of strained US-China relations, marked by tensions over various issues including Beijing's actions in the South China Sea and towards Taiwan.
