Recent emails have uncovered ongoing engagement between the administration of New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Chinese government officials, despite prior controversies. Records obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF) indicate that Hochul’s office was in discussions to welcome a delegation from Henan Province as recently as July 2023, just months after the dismissal of Linda Sun, an aide accused of acting as an undisclosed agent for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The correspondence reveals a significant interest in maintaining ties with Henan, a region heavily associated with Sun’s alleged activities. One email shows an aide expressing the governor’s enthusiasm for communication with a Henan official seeking engagement. This pattern raises concerns, particularly in light of federal warnings that China seeks to influence state and local officials to further its political objectives.
Federal authorities arrested Sun and her husband, Chris Hu, in September 2024, alleging that Sun exploited her position to promote CCP interests, including facilitating a 2018 delegation from Henan. Prosecutors claimed she fraudulently obtained invitation letters, some purportedly bearing a forged signature of then-Lieutenant Governor Hochul. On December 22, 2025, a federal judge declared a mistrial in Sun’s case after a jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict.
While Hochul’s administration contends it was unaware of Sun’s alleged misconduct, the ongoing interactions with Chinese officials after her departure raise troubling questions. Emails indicate the governor’s office was receptive to a proposed visit from a six-member delegation led by He Jinping, vice chairman of the Henan People’s Congress. The stated aim of the visit was to enhance “friendly relations” between Henan and New York, with a focus on trade, finance, education, culture, and tourism.
The communication regarding the delegation was primarily handled by Xiaojiang “Elaine” Fan, who succeeded Sun as director of Asian affairs in the governor’s office in 2021. Fan has connections to Chinese state media and the CCP’s propaganda apparatus, raising further scrutiny about her role in state affairs. During her tenure, she participated in events hosted by the Chinese Consulate in New York and groups tied to the CCP’s United Front Work Department, which is known for its influence operations abroad.
There is no public record confirming that the Henan delegation visited New York in 2023, and the emails do not clarify why this proposed visit did not materialize. Hochul’s office has not responded to multiple requests for comment from the DCNF, and Fan, who has since departed to work on Scott Stringer‘s mayoral campaign in New York City, did not reply to inquiries.
The Hochul administration has faced criticism for obstructing records requests related to its interactions with the Chinese government and CCP-affiliated entities. Reports indicate that the administration inaccurately stated it found no relevant correspondence when searching for communications about China and Taiwan. A source familiar with the matter expressed concern over this obstruction, suggesting that it violates legal requirements and calling for congressional intervention.
Prosecutors plan to retry the case against Sun, who is accused of leveraging her position to facilitate business opportunities for her husband’s seafood export company in exchange for favors from Chinese officials. Republican state Senator Jake Ashby commented on the situation, asserting that the Eastern District of New York’s decision to retry the case is justified given Sun’s alleged actions.
As the Hochul administration navigates these revelations, the implications of its ongoing engagements with Chinese officials continue to unfold, highlighting the complexities of international relationships at the local government level.
