HOCHUL AND HUANG PING: It took less than two days for multiple federal raids surrounding Mayor Eric Adams’ administration to make some of us forget the alleged plot to infiltrate the Governor’s office on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party. But even as the pro-cop New York Post calls on NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban to step down and the fate of mayoral officials Sheena Wright, David Banks and Phil Banks hangs in the balance, we still haven’t forgotten about Linda Sun, the indicted unregistered foreign agent who served as an aid to both Hochul and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Sun worked for years to boost the relationship between the CCP and the governor’s office — all while surreptitiously blocking any meetings with Taiwanese officials, according to her Tuesday indictment. She also had a special penchant for hand-delivered salted duck meals, luxury cars and phony proclamations — all of which changed hands while she was allegedly in service to the CCP. And within the whirlwind of that news, Hochul appears to have created a mini-scandal of her own. Speaking to reporters Wednesday, she said she asked the State Department to expel Chinese Consul General Huang Ping and then erroneously indicated he was no longer in the New York mission. Hours later, after other conflicting information from the State Department, the Chinese consulate clarified that Huang is still in fact Consul General. In the process, Hochul drew more attention to Huang, the controversial diplomat who frequently coordinated with Sun as she attempted to influence the governor on behalf of the CCP. (The indictment labels Huang as “PRC Official-1.”) While Hochul’s insistence to expel Huang may indicate an icy relationship between the two, public statements, photos, schedules, and other available information show the two have enjoyed a cordial public relationship. Since 2019, they’ve crossed paths at least half-a-dozen times. The pair were reportedly seen smiling together in 2019 in a now-deleted post on the consulate’s website. And Hochul met with Huang and Sun in September of 2021, according to her public schedule. (Hochul also met with Qin Gang, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the United States and Sun that year.) In 2022, Hochul and Huang shared speaking spots at the China General Chamber of Commerce’s Lunar New Year gala and were both there the following year. (The group is reportedly one of hundreds of U.S.-based organizations that exercises influence on behalf of the CCP.) And in 2023, the governor and Huang marched together at the Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade. Huang himself described Hochul as “my old friend” in a February 2021 social media post, two weeks before she assumed office — and seven months before Hochul promoted Sun. Hochul said in an accompanying video that she had the “privilege” of working with Huang. Chinese embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu denied Huang took part in any of Sun’s alleged crimes. “Chinese diplomats in the US are committed to promoting mutual understanding and bilateral cooperation in various fields,” Pengyu said. “They have never and will not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.” Reached today, the Governor’s office said she has met with over 50 foreign dignitaries since taking office, but did not provide additional detail about the nature of her relationship with Huang. “Governor Hochul regularly meets with foreign leaders and dignitaries,” Hochul spokesperson Sam Spokony said. “The Governor was shocked and outraged by the details unveiled in the DOJ’s indictment, and our Administration has been assisting law enforcement as they prepare their case. We have no idea why this individual misrepresented his relationship with the Governor.” — Jason Beeferman
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