The arrest of former New York state Governor’s Chinese-American chief of staff, former deputy commissioner of the State Labor Department Sun Wen and her husband has sparked discussions within the Chinese community in New York, including Taiwanese residents. Taiwanese suddenly understand the reason why New York state officials have been cold towards Taiwanese government officials for so many years, finding the answer to the problem, feeling relieved. Some Chinese people believe that this case reveals the rampant infiltration of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the United States, and Sun Wen’s blatant actions, reporting her work to the Chinese consulate, appear as a “CCP member”.
According to the indictment, Sun Wen once prevented the then New York State Governor Cuomo from attending an event in Manhattan when former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen visited New York City in 2019, and constantly hindered the relationship between the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office and the New York State government.
After Sun Wen’s case was exposed, her role as a CCP agent made many Taiwanese people suddenly realize what has been happening in recent years.
Yang Yushu, former president of the Greater New York Hakka Association, expressed on social media, “No wonder there has been little interaction between Taiwan and New York State, such as the welcoming banquet for President Tsai Ing-wen… It turns out it is not due to the incompetence of Taiwanese diplomats, but rather the leadership and obstruction by CCP representatives. It’s despicable!” She wrote, “Heaven’s justice prevails!”
Upon hearing the news of Sun Wen’s arrest, Jiang Junlin, former president of the Taiwan Chamber of Commerce, recalled that during the pandemic, he had donated many masks to New York State on behalf of the Chamber. Although his intention was simply to help others and did not care about media coverage, looking back now, there was indeed no mention of the mask donation received by New York State.
“Wow, she (Sun Wen) blocked this news, wouldn’t the governor know?” Jiang Junlin said. “If the Communist Party really instructed Sun Wen to do such things, it’s really despicable!”
Vice Chairman Xu Bocheng of the Greater New York Area Taiwanese Community Federation also expressed similar sentiments to this newspaper: One time before the Vice President of Taiwan visited the United States, Xu Bocheng had the opportunity to meet the Vice Governor at an event in Congress, where he extended an invitation to the Vice Governor to attend the Vice President’s banquet, but the matter was eventually dropped.
“We have always seen little interaction between various units of the New York government and Taiwan.” He said, “Seeing this news (Sun Wen’s arrest), it may have resolved the doubts we have had over the years.”
Xu Bocheng said, not only the state government in New York but also the city government is cold towards Taiwan. He recalled during the pandemic when he donated masks to the Brooklyn district, they didn’t even accept them! “They wouldn’t even take masks.” He said.
Upon hearing the news of Sun Wen’s arrest, Xu Bocheng felt “very happy, very pleased”.
“It’s a sigh of relief! A sigh of relief!” He said, the Taiwan community is sharing this sentiment, and he believes that Sun Wen’s case is “significant”.
“I feel that these people are persecuting democracy and freedom under the guise of freedom and democracy… (this case) serves as a warning to those who collaborate with the CCP.” He said, and he witnessed Sun Wen protesting against Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to the United States during “working hours”, “So bold, so arrogant”, “I hope they will be severely punished”, “I also hope it will expose many people and uncover their network from within.”
Sun Wen’s case has shaken the entire Taiwanese, New York, and even the American Chinese community. Many people believe that the increasing number of Chinese Americans being arrested and prosecuted by the US government are the “victims of deteriorating US-China relations”; some lean towards “racism”, alleging that the US government is targeting Chinese Americans; and some say, what’s wrong with Chinese people being close to their “motherland”?
In response, New York Chinese lawyer Chen Chuangchuang stated that returning home is normal, even contacting Chinese officials is normal, but taking orders from the CCP to suppress Taiwan and working for the CCP in the New York government is not normal.
“Just as the charges say: Whose person are you? You are an American, an official in New York, how can you accept orders from the CCP? It is very clear. When President Tsai Ing-wen visits, to meet the governor of New York, or for the governor of New York to go to Washington, Taiwan’s diplomats want to contact him (her), what right do you have to report this to the Chinese embassy? This is obviously wrong.” Chen Chuangchuang said. “In addition, when you go to China, the expenses, travel allowances, are all paid by the CCP; those CCP agents, association presidents helping your husband do business, even helping CCP officials with fake invitations… Can American public officials do these things? You are acting as a CCP agent and benefiting from it—this is the crux of the problem—not abnormal contacts, but working for the CCP is abnormal.”
Chinese political commentator Qin Peng stated that there is an important conceptual problem here: the Chinese community has not yet clearly distinguished between “CCP” and “China”.
“Leaving aside the fact that she is an American citizen and should comply with American laws to protect American interests.” he said, “What she did was not for ‘China,’ but for the ‘CCP’,” “If (the CCP) is for the national interests of China, then why not go and reclaim Russian-occupied territories… In fact, the CCP is using the guise of the ‘motherland’ to occupy Taiwan, or to engage in global currency warfare, etc., so what you are doing has nothing to do with the ‘national interest’ of China.”
Treating “CCP” and “China” as synonymous has always been a focal point of CCP brainwashing manipulation on Chinese people. Huang Youxing, an advocate in the Chinese community in the Queens district, stated that Sun Wen’s actions were likely influenced by brainwashing and financial allure.
“I suspect that the money she used for attending university or her work later on was funded by the CCP, otherwise, how could she work for the CCP?” Huang Youxing questioned, mentioning the argument of “America targeting Chinese”, “Those sympathizing with Sun Wen, talking about ‘racism’, all have similar problems, how can they say that the FBI is ‘racist’ with such nonsensical words? Do you think the FBI has nothing better to do than investigating you?”
Qin Peng believes that Sun Wen’s behavior is akin to that of a “party member”, both “audacious” and “foolish”.
“I think this person is a bit audacious, quite foolish.” he said. “When normal people see a scene where protesters oppose President Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to the US by the CCP, they would avoid it, but she openly came out, too arrogant, too bold”, “Unreservedly, very proactively going to the Chinese consulate during ‘working hours’ to report on work, to seek recognition… she is just a party member, this is something that cannot be tolerated in any normal country.”
Chen Chuangchuang believes that Sun Wen cannot be said to be a “sacrificial lamb” due to the “worsening of US-China relations” because the naive days of Americans thinking “business can change the CCP” are long gone.
“Now both parties in the United States are clear, the CCP is the number one threat to the United States, an enemy that undermines international order and harms American interests.” he said. “Improving relations between the US and the CCP, and the so-called ‘People’s Republic of China,’ is impossible, this is not a good time for people who try to have it both ways.”
Chen Chuangchuang said, so the news of Sun Wen’s arrest is a wake-up call for pro-CCP individuals in the Chinese community; for those who understand the essence of the CCP, it is good news, “I feel very relieved, I admire the prompt action of the US government.”
Translation by [Your Name]