A Chinese diplomat who has repeatedly praised the Chinese Communist Party is continuing to serve as consul general of the Chinese Consulate in New York despite conflicting narratives from the Biden State Department and New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul that the diplomat is no longer in his role.
Hochul said during a news conference nearly two weeks ago that she supported expelling Huang Ping from New York after he was referenced dozens of times in an allegation involving one of her former top aides and said she had been “informed” by the State Department that he was “no longer on assignment in New York.”
Hours later, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller contradicted Hochul’s comments, saying that “the consul general was not expelled” and that Ping “came to the end of a regularly scheduled rotation in August” and left the post. However, a review of Ping’s social media by Fox News Digital shows that she has not left the New York post and is still listed on the New York consulate’s website.
“Consul General Huang Ping is carrying out his duties as usual,” a spokesperson for the consulate told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. “He will leave his post as scheduled after completing his term. We firmly oppose any malicious association, defamation and smearing of Chinese diplomatic and consular staff. We call on the media to respect journalistic ethics.”
Democratic governor reveals CCP official with deep ties to her office is ‘no longer’ in office amid arrest of former aide
Huang Ping continues to serve as consul general of the Chinese Consulate in New York despite conflicting narratives from the Biden State Department and New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul. (Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in New York)
Ping, who has been consul general of the Chinese Consulate in New York since 2018 and has repeatedly called the CCP a “grand party,” posted photos at the Chinese Consulate in New York on his X account on Tuesday, saying, “We celebrated the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China with nearly 700 Chinese Americans and students, enjoying traditional Chinese culture and cuisine.”
China expert and author Michael Sobolik, a senior fellow for Indo-Pacific studies at the U.S. Foreign Policy Council, criticized the Biden State Department in a statement to Fox News Digital for not punishing Ping and allowing her to remain in her post.
“Huang Ping frequently coordinated with Linda Sun in her attempt to advance Beijing’s interests in New York. Such activity crosses a line and deserves appropriate retaliation to deter future attempts to influence American public officials,” said Sobolik, author of the book “Countering China’s Great Game: A Strategy for American Dominance.”
“The State Department’s hesitation to decisively punish Huang makes the United States more vulnerable to Beijing’s malign influence,” he added.
Former Assistant to New York Governor Hochul, Accused of Being a Chinese Spy, Visited the White House
Hochul’s former deputy chief of staff, Linda Sun, and her husband, Chris Hu, were arrested earlier this month, and Sun was charged “with violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy,” according to a Justice Department press release.
Fox News Digital had previously exposed Ping’s ties to Hochul, but the unsealed indictment shed light on the close working relationship between Sun and Ping.
The undisclosed indictment revealed that a speechwriter for then-Vice Governor Hochul wanted to mention the “Uyghur situation” in China for her 2021 Lunar New Year message, but the plight of the minority group persecuted by the Chinese government was ultimately omitted after Sun dismissed the speechwriter’s opinion. The indictment says Sun revealed to Ping what the speechwriter wanted to include, but insisted that he would not let his boss mention the Uyghurs after admitting that he was “starting to lose his temper” with the speechwriter.
CCP PROPAGANDA PURPOSE-DEALER HUANG PING JOINS SCHUMER AND TOP NY DEMOCRATS AT CHINESE NEW YEAR PARADE
Ping, who has been consul general of the Chinese Consulate in New York since 2018 and has repeatedly called the CCP a “big party.” (Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in New York)
Ping appeared to attribute the speechwriter’s suggestion to an uninformed American who had never visited China and that U.S.-China relations could “sour” because of “people like the speechwriter,” according to the indictment, prompting Sun to agree that the speechwriter had never visited China. Ping would post Hochul’s Lunar New Year message days later on his Facebook page, which made no mention of Uighurs.
The indictment also alleged that Sun repeatedly used his government positions in the Cuomo and Hochul administrations to prevent “Taiwanese government representatives” from meeting with high-ranking New York government officials, including Hochul and Cuomo, and then bragged about his actions to Chinese officials, including Ping.
On one occasion, he texted a Chinese official in the fall of 2020 to say he “nearly had a heart attack when we referred to Taiwan as a country” and let the official know who “immediately had the press team correct him,” according to the indictment.
Ping makes these arguments in a podcast previously reported by Fox News Digital.
HOUSE GOP PRESSES HOCHUL OVER ALLEGED CCP AGENT INFLUENCE IN NYC, INCLUDING SECRET CHINESE POLICE STATION
In addition to meeting with politicians, Huang Ping has been invited to the Empire State Building, the New York Stock Exchange, Conde Nast and several universities. (Xinhua/Li Rui via Getty Images)
In exchange for Sun allegedly acting on behalf of the Chinese government in her government roles, the indictment also lists several gifts she and her husband received from Chinese officials, including luxury tickets to concerts and other events in New York and travel benefits, and Ping gifting Sun’s parents with Nanjing-style salted ducks prepared by her chef.
The indictment also listed the “facilitation of millions of dollars in transactions for Sun’s husband’s business activities based in the People’s Republic of China,” which the indictment says were used to purchase real estate in Manhasset, New York, for $3.6 million, a $1.9 million condominium in Honolulu and other luxury purchases, including a 2024 Ferrari.
Ping’s social media post on Tuesday was not the only one she sent in New York since Hochul’s press conference and when the allegation was made public on Sept. 4. The next day, Ping attended the China Institute’s Blue Cloud Gala at the Plaza Hotel in New York, according to a Sept. 6 social media post, saying, “We need such vision, courage, faith and solidarity to strengthen the ties between our two countries.”
On September 9th, Ping Photos published from the 90th birthday party of Dr. James C. Hsiung, whom Ping called “a distinguished scholar and senior lecturer at New York University.” The birthday party appeared to take place at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel in New York, based on the name of one of the meeting rooms.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fox News Digital has reported extensively on Ping’s relationship with Democratic politicians at the state and local level in New York and Pennsylvania, two of the 10 states that are covered by the jurisdiction of the consulate. In addition to meeting with politicians, he has been invited to the Empire State Building, the New York Stock Exchange, Conde Nast and several universities, including UPenn, Harvard, Tufts and Princeton.
She has also attended several Chinese parades in New York and has been seen flirting with New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer.
Sun’s attorney, Jarrod Schaeffer, previously told Fox News Digital that he and Sun are “concerned about aspects of the government’s investigation.”
“We are disappointed by the filing of these charges, which are provocative and appear to be the result of an overly aggressive prosecution,” Schaeffer said. “As we said in court today, our client is eager to exercise her right to a speedy trial and defend herself against these allegations in the proper forum: a court of law.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department and Governor Hochul’s office.
