In a recent investigation conducted by “The City” and “Documented,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams is under scrutiny regarding his senior Asian affairs advisor, Zheng Qirong. Zheng has been accused of enabling Chinese government influence in Adams’ administration over the last ten years, particularly concerning efforts to suppress official Taiwanese representations.
During an interview, reporters reached out to both Zheng and the Chinese Consulate for comments, but at the time of publication, neither party had responded. Similarly, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York chose not to offer an official statement on the issue.
The investigation uncovered a substantial 2,500-page email archive linked to Zheng, revealing her significant involvement in Adams’ team. For example, in September 2016, when Adams, then Brooklyn Borough President, received invitations to both Chinese and Taiwanese National Day events, Zheng reportedly advised him to attend the consulate’s event and decline the invitation from Taiwan, acting as the office’s liaison to the Chinese community.
The emails also highlighted Zheng’s close ties with her organization, the Sino-America New York Brooklyn Archway Association, and Beijing’s Chaoyang District foreign affairs agency. It’s reported that Zheng arranged meetings between Adams and both former Chinese Consuls General Sun Guoxiang and Zhang Qiyue.
Moreover, Zheng’s influence appeared to extend to Adams’ interactions with the Chinese community in New York. Reports suggest she frequently encouraged him to engage with Chinese state media and advised him on which community events to attend. In 2015, she even facilitated a meeting between Adams and members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, noting that one participant was a deputy minister from the United Front Work Department—an important entity tasked with fostering friendly relations abroad on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party.
Efforts to contact Zheng for comments on October 3 were unsuccessful, as her phone went unanswered. The consulate also did not respond to requests for remarks. While the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office declined to provide an official statement, sources indicated that it is common for expatriate groups to engage with both the Taiwanese and Chinese governments. However, they pointed out that the Taipei Office typically takes a collaborative approach to avoid complicating relations with local governments, contrasting with the consulate’s more coercive tactics when dealing with expatriate organizations and U.S. officials.
At a Taiwan National Day reception on the evening of October 3 in Midtown Manhattan, several officials and representatives from New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania were in attendance, including a representative from Governor Kathy Hochul’s office. Notably, there were no representatives from Adams’ administration present at the event.
