China’s envoy in New York has been expelled following the arrest of a former aide to New York governor Kathy Hochul, who was charged with secretly acting as an agent of the Chinese government, CNN reported.
Hochul said on Tuesday that she had “conveyed [her] desire to have the consul general expelled,” and was informed that the consul general is no longer part of the New York mission.
Linda Sun, ex-aide to Hochul, and her husband Chris Hu pleaded not guilty to criminal charges before US magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo in Brooklyn after their arrest on Tuesday morning.
Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn alleged that while working in state government, Sun obstructed meetings between Taiwanese government representatives and officials, and attempted to arrange a visit to China for a high-level New York state official.
In return, it is claimed that Chinese government representatives facilitated millions of dollars in transactions for Hu, who had business interests in China, Reuters reported.
Hochul has not been accused of any wrongdoing. According to a spokesperson for the governor, her office terminated Sun in March 2023 upon discovering evidence of misconduct, promptly reported Sun’s actions to authorities, and has been cooperating with law enforcement throughout the investigation.