New York City Mayor Eric Adams attended a Chinese government-linked event in Manhattan on Sunday, where the red flag of China was raised to mark China's "National Day."
The event, called the "China Day Celebration Parade Festival," took place in Chinatown and was attended by Adams, New York State Assemblywoman Grace Lee, and New York City Council member Christopher Marte.
Adams' participation in the event is notable due to reports of his close ties with individuals believed to be affiliated with China's United Front Work Department (UFWD), an organization responsible for foreign interference operations. The UFWD uses cultural outreach, charity, and educational programs as a cover for its activities.
Chinese Consul General in New York Huang Ping expressed his appreciation for Adams' presence at the event, describing himself as "deeply moved." Huang claimed that the celebration demonstrated the support of overseas Chinese for China's development and the friendly cooperation between China and the US. However, the images from the event do not show any participants who fled to America due to political repression in China.
The festivities included raising the red flag of China in Chinatown, Manhattan. Huang posted a message on Twitter, saying, "Happy Birthday to my motherland! Congratulations to all Chinese compatriots!" The Chinese consulate press release referred to the events as part of "China Day," the anniversary of communist China, and noted that Adams delivered remarks.
"China Day" became an official holiday in New York in 2019, with lawmakers supporting its creation as a way to rebuke then-President Donald Trump's assertive foreign policy towards China. State Senator David Carlucci, who supported the holiday, emphasized the importance of maintaining a relationship with China despite federal-level tensions.
Adams described the events he attended as celebrations of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional Chinese holiday. He emphasized that the day was a celebration of the moon, prosperity, gratitude, and good fortune, rather than a political event.
This is not the first time Adams has attended Chinese events in New York City. In February 2022, he delivered remarks at the "Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival," which featured a giant banner advertising the Beijing Winter Olympics. The banner included a logo for the Tibetan Association of North America, implying that the organization sponsored the event. However, local Tibetan organizations confirmed that the "Tibetan Association of North America" does not exist.
New York City is currently at the center of a criminal investigation into the Chinese government's establishment of illegal "police stations" outside its borders. These stations are used to repress and spy on the Chinese diaspora. In April, the U.S. Justice Department revealed charges against two men for operating one of these police stations in the Bronx and Manhattan. The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York accused China's Ministry of Public Security of violating the nation's sovereignty by operating a police station in New York City.
Video footage has surfaced showing Adams engaging with one of the individuals involved in operating the police station. Newsweek recently reported that Adams received political donations from this individual and his brother. Adams' campaign returned the contribution after serious allegations were made against the donor.
The mayor's attendance at Chinese government-linked events raises concerns about his ties to individuals affiliated with the Chinese government and the United Front Work Department. It also highlights the ongoing issue of Chinese interference and repression of the Chinese diaspora in the United States.
The investigation into the illegal police stations in New York City further underscores the need to address these concerns and defend the freedoms of all individuals living in the country.
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