Blue state governor touts meeting with CCP official cozying up to Dems: 'Grateful for the opportunity'
FIRST ON FOX: A Democratic governor enthusiastically posted photos with a Chinese Communist Party diplomat on Wednesday evening, saying she was "grateful for the opportunity" to meet with him.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, who went viral late last year for vowing to use "every tool" to fight back against President Donald Trump's deportations, took to X to highlight a meeting she and one of her top appointees had with Chen Li, the consul general of the People's Republic of China in New York.
"Massachusetts is home to a vibrant Chinese-American community, and China is one of our largest trading partners," Healey wrote in a X post, which included 3 photos. "Glad to welcome Ambassador H.E. Chen Li of the People's Republic to China to the State House, and grateful for the opportunity to discuss future collaboration!"
All three photos included Healey and Li, whose jurisdiction covers almost a dozen states. However, one photo also included now-former Massachusetts Secretary of Economic Development, Yvonne Hao, an American-born citizen whose parents are originally from China. Hao's last official day in her role was earlier this month, according to local outlets. However, she is still serving in the Healey administration as an unpaid advisor.
A press release from Healey's office on Wednesday highlighted how Massachusetts and China "shared economic and cultural ties" in addition to their "commitment to continuing to work together for the benefit of our people and our economy."
"China is Massachusetts third largest trading partner, with over $7.2 billion worth of goods exchanged in 2024. In 2024, Massachusetts imported $3.4 billion in goods from China, including toys, games and sports equipment, apparel and accessories," the press release continued. "Massachusetts exported $3.8 billion in goods to China in 2024, including industrial machinery, medical devices and plastics.
She appeared to then try to justify the meeting by highlighting how she makes "it a priority to meet with foreign officials when they visit Massachusetts," listing off several foreign officials who she has met with, including the "Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Ahmed Dadou, and Singapore's Ambassador to the United States Lui Tuck Yew."
Li, who has repeatedly praised the CCP and echoed the party's talking points about Uyghur genocide allegations being "fabricated," responded to Healey's post by quoting it and saying he was "honored to have a very pleasant conversation" with Healey. He added that he was "focusing on the cooperation between China and Massachusetts."
Fox News Digital has extensively reported on the influence that Li and his predecessors have had in the United States, which has included cozying up to Democratic politicians like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Gov. Kathy Hochul, in addition to administrators at top American universities across several states on the East Coast, including Kean University President Lamont Repollet.
Chen, like his predecessor Huang Ping, has repeatedly praised the CCP and denied China's alleged genocide against the Uyghur population, which has been condemned by many on the world stage, including the United Nations.
"It's hard to imagine how could 'genocide' and 'forced labor' associated with such a place where population grows steadily, society is safe and open, and people enjoy happy life. Where do the accusations come from?" Chen wrote in 2021. "'Genocide' was claimed by former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on the very last day of his term. It was based on reports fabricated by some extremist anti-China individuals who haven't been to Xinjiang for years and accounts of a few so-called witnesses who were proved to be trained 'actors' and 'actresses.'"
Michael Sobolik, an expert on U.S.-China relations and a Hudson Institute senior fellow, previously told Fox News Digital that the "Chinese Communist Party is always looking for ways to penetrate U.S. businesses and civil society. We shouldn't make their job easier for them."
Earlier this year, Chen posted multiple times about participating in New York City parades, which included Schumer and anti-Trump Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg. He also met with Sen. Richard Blumenthal's brother-in-law to light up the Empire State Building to mark the Lunar New Year, a tradition between the Chinese Consulate and the Empire State Building that goes back over a decade.
Prior to Chen, a controversial diplomat named Huang Ping was in his position between 2018 and 2024. Ping was implicated in an unsealed indictment against Gov. Kathy Hochul's former deputy chief of staff, Linda Sun, who was charged "with violating and conspiring to violate the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy," according to a Justice Department press release.
The indictment revealed then-Lt. Gov. Hochul wanted to mention the "Uyghur situation" in China for her 2021 Lunar New Year message, but the plight of the minority group being persecuted by the Chinese government was ultimately omitted after Sun overruled the speechwriter.
The indictment alleges Sun revealed to Ping what the speechwriter wanted to include, but insisted that she would not let her boss mention Uyghurs after admitting that she was "starting to lose her temper" with the speechwriter. The indictment later detailed other exchanges she had with Ping and said he gifted her parents with Nanjing-style salted ducks prepared by his chef in exchange for her help in influencing the governor's policies.
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