China was totally expelled from New York City on Wednesday. Chinese consul general Huang Ping who played a major role in the startling espionage allegations against Linda Sun, a former aide to the Empire State governor, is no longer part of the New York diplomatic mission, Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Wednesday.
This comes as espionage charges were brought against Linda Sun, Hochul's former deputy chief-of-staff and ex-aide to Cuomo. "I have conveyed my desire to have the counsel general from the People's Republic of China and the New York mission expelled, and I've been informed that the counsel general is no longer in the New York mission," Hochul announced.
Chinese Consul General in New York Thrown Out
"I also requested the State Department to take appropriate action in response to the dangerous and outrageous actions taken by the People's Republic of China," Hochul said.
This came as Sun was dramatically arrested on Tuesday, along with her husband, after a pre-dawn raid at their $4 million Long Island mansion.
Federal prosecutors issued a startling 64-page indictment against Sun, 41, and her husband, Christopher Hu, 40, alleging that Sun acted as a foreign agent for China.
Sun and her husband, Hu, are accused of receiving millions in kickbacks from the Chinese Communist Party, which funded their extravagant lifestyle, including a $2 million condo in Hawaii and a 2024 Ferrari.
Sun is also alleged to have used her position to advance China's geopolitical interests by canceling meetings with Taiwanese officials and directing messaging away from criticism of Beijing's treatment of Uyghur Muslims.
Both Sun and Hu pleaded not guilty to all charges on Tuesday. Sun's bail was set at $1.5 million, while Hu's was set at $500,000.
Governor Hochul said that she has been supporting the Department of Justice with their investigation for several months and will continue to collaborate with them.
Hochul condemned Sun's actions as a "absolute betrayal of the trust placed by two state administrations," including allegations of forging her signature on documents.
She also emphasized her confidence in the vetting process, claiming that Sun, as a "mid-level aide," had no significant influence over her policies.
Sue Promoted CCP's Interest in New York
Prosecutors allege that Sun covertly worked to advance the CCP's interests in New York, particularly regarding Taiwan, which the CCP views as part of China. She is accused of blocking Taiwanese government representatives and even participated in a protest against the Taiwanese president in New York City in 2018.
In 2020, Sun reportedly sent a text to a Chinese official saying: "'I almost had a heart attack when we referred to Taiwan as a country. Thankfully I had the press team correct it immediately."
Sun's career in state government spanned nearly 15 years. She began in 2009 as the chief of staff for New York State Assembly member Grace Meng, who is now a member of Congress.
Sun then worked in former Governor Andrew Cuomo's administration starting in 2012, holding roles such as Global New York Trade Manager, Asian Outreach Director for the Governor's Office, and Queens Regional Representative.
In 2018, she was appointed chief diversity officer by the Cuomo administration.
According to her LinkedIn profile, she was named deputy chief of staff for Governor Hochul in September 2021, a position she held for approximately 15 months.
