Amid growing confusion over accusations that a former aide to New York Governor Kathy Hockle acted as a covert agent for the Chinese government, the State Department denied reports that the Chinese consul general in New York had been expelled.
CNN reported on Wednesday that Ho Chol had reported on the alleged expulsion of Consul General Huang Ping at an unrelated event. Ho Chol told reporters that after contacting the State Department at the request of Secretary of State Antony Blinken, he had informed the Chinese consulate general of his desire to expel the consul general.
“I expressed my desire to have the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China expelled from the New York Embassy, but was informed that the Consul General is no longer at the New York Embassy,” she said.
Late Wednesday, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller appeared to dispute the governor’s explanation for the expulsion. At a regular press conference, Miller said Ping had not been expelled and that he had completed his duties with the consulate in August “at the end of his normal term of service.”
Miller added: “No expulsion action was taken. This individual has not been expelled. That said, foreign interference, including attempts at covert influence, is something we take very seriously.”
The news of China’s top diplomat’s firing came 24 hours after Linda Sun, a former New York governor who also worked for Andrew Cuomo and rose to become deputy chief of staff to Hawkle, was indicted on charges of violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, conspiracy to commit money laundering, visa fraud and smuggling aliens.
She had worked in state government for about 15 years but was fired by Mr. Hawkle after the governor’s office said it had found “evidence of wrongdoing.” Mr. Hawkle said her former aide had “completely violated the trust placed in state government by two administrations.”
Sun’s husband, Chris Foo, was also charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and bank fraud. Both have pleaded not guilty to all charges and are out on bail.
Prosecutors say that while working in New York state, Sun promoted policies favorable to the Chinese government, such as barring Taiwanese government officials from the governor’s office, and in return, Hu received preferential treatment at China-based businesses and gifts such as “Nanking-style salt duck” for the couple.
