What drives New York politicians to make policy decisions that align with Beijing’s interests, and at what cost to our national security?
At a Glance
- Linda Sun, aide to governors Kathy Hochul and Andrew Cuomo, charged as an illegal agent for China’s government.
- Promotion of Chinese interests in New York state functions and financial dealings under scrutiny.
- Seeking influence on state level ties between U.S. local officials and Chinese political operatives increases as federal ties sour.
- Rising concerns about secret Chinese police stations in New York.
Linda Sun’s Arrest and Charges
Linda Sun, a former aide to New York governors Kathy Hochul and Andrew Cuomo, stands accused of acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government. Serving in various roles, including deputy chief of staff for Governor Hochul, Sun allegedly promoted Chinese interests and obstructed Taiwanese representatives from meeting the governor, driven by financial incentives.
Sun’s arrest is part of an extensive initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice to expel Beijing’s agents operating within the United States. Investigations reveal that Sun had been involved with Shi Qianping, head of the U.S. Federation of Chinese-American Entrepreneurs, unveiling the depth of Beijing’s network in local politics.
China’s Historical Strategy on U.S. State-Level Influence
China has long pursued relationships with U.S. state-level officials, particularly as federal relationships deteriorate. This strategy intensifies influence efforts on more manageable and localized political arenas, benefiting from both established ties and new opportunities to sway political decisions in its favor.
Sun is only one part of a broader array of influence tactics. The United Front, an arm of China’s Communist Party dedicated to overseas influence, engages with the Chinese diaspora through various fronts and organizations. This division plays a critical role in manipulating the perceptions and actions of U.S. local governments.
Secret Chinese Police Stations
Concerns rise surrounding the operation of secret overseas Chinese police stations, supposedly functioning without the knowledge of host countries like the United States. These stations are alleged to play a role in influencing and monitoring Chinese nationals abroad, further raising the stakes and complications in U.S.-China relations.
The recent crackdown on these covert activities by the Justice Department exposes the extent of Beijing’s influence network. Lawmakers like Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., press for transparency and accountability, urging Governor Hochul to answer for Sun’s potential influence over the state’s government and economy.
Impacts on Policy and Governance
The scope and depth of Chinese influence on U.S. soil underscore the urgency for more strategic engagement from local governments. Over reliance on single community liaisons undercuts comprehensive understanding and management of these covert operations. Instead, engaging with legitimate Asian American organizations is crucial in safeguarding democratic processes from foreign manipulation.
Chinese political influence extends beyond state-level governance into broader implications such as technology theft and economic espionage. U.S. and British intelligence communities, including FBI Director Christopher Wray, emphasize the “breathtaking” scope of these efforts at an unprecedented joint news conference.
“The U.S. and British domestic intelligence chiefs — the F.B.I. director, Christopher Wray, and the MI5 director general, Ken McCallum — signaled rising concern over this with an unprecedented joint news conference in July to warn of, as Mr. Wray put it, a ‘breathtaking’ Chinese effort to steal technology and economic intelligence and to influence foreign politics in Beijing’s favor.”
The message to western democracies remains clear: without vigilant and well-informed countermeasures, Chinese influence operations will continue undermining the integrity of our political systems and jeopardizing national security. It is imperative to build resilience at the local level to combat and insulate ourselves against Beijing’s increasingly sophisticated and widespread influence campaigns.
