The Chinese diplomat, who has repeatedly praised the Chinese Communist Party, continues to serve as consul general at China's New York Consulate General, despite contradictory claims from Biden's State Department and New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hawkle that the diplomat is no longer in that position.
At a press conference about two weeks ago, Haukl said he supported Huang's expulsion from New York after he was mentioned dozens of times in an indictment involving one of his former aides, and said he had been “informed” by the State Department that Huang was “no longer assigned to the New York post.”
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller disputed Haukle's remarks hours later, saying “the consul general has not been expelled” and that Ping left his post “at the end of his rolling rotation in August.” But a review of Ping's social media profiles by Fox News Digital found that he has not left his post in New York and that his photo remains on the New York consulate's website.
“Consul General Huang Ping is performing his duties normally,” a consulate spokesman told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. “The consul general will step down as scheduled after his term ends. We strongly oppose any malicious relations, defamation or slander against Chinese diplomats and consulate staff, and we urge the media to abide by journalistic ethics.”
Democratic governor says Chinese Communist Party official with deep ties to his office “no longer” holds office after former aide's arrest
Huang Ping still serves as consul general at China's New York consulate, despite conflicting claims from the Biden State Department and New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Haukl. (Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in New York)
Ping, who has served as consul general at the Chinese Consulate in New York since 2018 and has repeatedly referred to the Chinese Communist Party as a “big party,” posted a photo of the Chinese consulate in New York on his X account on Tuesday, saying, “Together with nearly 700 Chinese Americans and students, we celebrated the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China by enjoying traditional Chinese culture and cuisine.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Michael Sobolik, a senior fellow in Indo-Pacific studies at the Foreign Policy Council and a China expert and author, criticized the Biden State Department for not disciplining Ping and allowing him to remain in his job.
“Huang Ping frequently worked with Linda Sun to advance Beijing's interests in New York. His conduct crossed a line and should lead to appropriate retaliatory measures to thwart future attempts to influence U.S. officials,” said Sobolik, author of “Countering China's Great Game: A Strategy for American Dominance.”
“The State Department's reluctance to decisively punish Huang makes the United States even more vulnerable to Beijing's malign influence,” he added.
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According to a Department of Justice press release, Hawkle's former deputy chief of staff, Linda Sun, and her husband, Chris Foo, were arrested earlier this month, with Sun charged with “violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act and conspiracy, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy.”
Fox News Digital had previously exposed the relationship between Ping and Hawkle, but the unsealed indictment reveals a close working relationship between Sun and Ping.
According to the unsealed indictment, then-Vice Governor Ho Chol's speechwriter wanted to mention “the situation of the Uighurs” in China in a 2021 Chinese New Year message, but the plight of the ethnic minority persecuted by the Chinese government was ultimately omitted after Sun overruled the speechwriter. According to the indictment, Sun was clear with Ping about what the speechwriter wanted to include, but insisted his boss not let him mention the Uighurs after he admitted he was “beginning to become upset” with the speechwriter.
“Chinese Communist Party propaganda purveyor” Huang Ping attends Lunar New Year parade with Schumer and other New York Democratic Party leaders
Taira has served as consul general at China's New York Consulate General since 2018 and has repeatedly referred to the Chinese Communist Party as a “great political party.” (Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in New York)
According to the indictment, Ping took the speechwriter's suggestion to be the utterance of an ignorant American who had never been to China and alleged that U.S.-China relations could be “spoiled” because of someone like the speechwriter, and Sun acknowledged that the speechwriter had never visited China. A few days later, Ping posted Hochul's Lunar New Year message to his own Facebook page, but it did not mention the Uighurs.
The indictment also alleges that Sun repeatedly used his government positions in the Cuomo and Hawkle administrations to prevent “representatives of the Taiwanese government” from meeting with New York state government officials, including the Hawkles, and then bragged about his actions to Chinese government officials, including Ping.
In one instance, she texted a Chinese official in fall 2020, saying she “almost had a heart attack when I referred to Taiwan as a country,” and informed the official she “immediately had my media team correct me,” according to the indictment.
These positions were made by Ping in a podcast previously reported by Fox News Digital.
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In addition to meeting with politicians, Huang Ping has also been a guest at the Empire State Building, the New York Stock Exchange, Conde Nast and several universities. (Xinhua/Li Rui via Getty Images)
The indictment also lists numerous gifts that Sun and her husband received from Chinese officials in return for Sun's alleged role acting on behalf of the Chinese government in her government position, including luxury tickets and travel incentives to concerts and other events in New York, and that Ping also gave Sun's parents Nanking salt duck prepared by Ping's chef.
The indictment also alleges that she “facilitated millions of dollars in transactions for Ms. Sun's husband's China-based business activities,” which the indictment alleges were used to purchase a $3.6 million property in Manhattan, New York, a $1.9 million condominium in Honolulu, and other luxury items, including a 2024 Ferrari.
Ping's social media post on Tuesday was not the only one he has issued from New York since Haukl's press conference and the indictment were made public on Sept. 4. According to a Sept. 6 social media post, Ping attended the China Institute's Blue Cloud Gala at the Plaza Hotel in New York the following day and said, “Deeper people-to-people ties between our two countries require such vision, courage, conviction and solidarity.”
September 9, Pin Posted Photos From the 90th birthday party of Dr. James C. Shun, whom Ping called “a distinguished scholar and tenured professor at New York University.” Based on the name of one of the conference rooms, the birthday party appears to have taken place at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel in New York.
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Fox News Digital has reported extensively on Ping's ties to state and local Democratic politicians in New York and Pennsylvania, two of the 10 states Democrats won in the election. Under the jurisdiction of the consulate. In addition to meeting with politicians, he has been a guest of the Empire State Building, the New York Stock Exchange, Conde Nast, and several universities, including the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, Tufts University, and Princeton University.
He has also attended several Chinese parades in New York and has been seen mingling with New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York State Senator Chuck Schumer.
Sun lawyer Jarrod Shafer previously told Fox News Digital that he and the company were “confused by aspects of the government's investigation.”
“We are disappointed with the filing of these charges, which appear to be inflammatory and the result of overly aggressive prosecution,” Schafer said. “As we stated in court today, our clients intend to exercise their right to a speedy trial and defend against these charges in the appropriate forum, a court of law.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the State Department and Governor Hookle's office.
