Chinese Consul in New York Expelled from U.S. Soil

The Governor of New York stated that following the arrest and indictment of one of her former aides for activities on behalf of the Beijing government, the Chinese consul in New York has been expelled. Kathy Hochul said on Wednesday, September 5, during a meeting that she had informed the U.S. Department of State of her request to expel the Chinese consul and added, "I have been informed that the consul is no longer in his position in New York." She also mentioned that she received this information from a senior official at the U.S. State Department. The Chinese embassy in Washington and the U.S. Department of State have not yet commented on this matter. This incident follows the formal indictment of Linda Sun, former deputy chief of staff to Hochul and former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who was arrested on Tuesday for violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, human trafficking, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to CNN, based on a copy of the indictment, Chris Hu, Sun's husband and co-conspirator, has also been charged with offenses such as conspiracy to commit money laundering and fraud. The couple pleaded not guilty in a federal court on Tuesday. The Governor of New York also announced that she had been assisting the Department of Justice in this matter for months and would continue to cooperate with judicial authorities. Kathy Hochul accused her former aide of abusing her trust and even forging her signature on some documents. She also stated that Linda Sun was a "mid-level aide" who was not in regular contact with her and did not have a "real role" in her policies as governor. Prosecutors have stated that this former aide to the Governor of New York was a "secret agent of the Chinese government" and that her husband facilitated the transfer of millions of dollars for personal gain.