First on Fox: One of the senior diplomats Chinese Communist Partywho recently replaced a controversial official with deep ties to top New York Democrats, recently touted his relationship with a US university president and a former top education official in New Jersey.
Chen Li, who served as Consul General of the People's Republic of China in New York Last month, he took to social media last week to praise the “warm hospitality” he received from Kean University President Lamont Repollet.
“I was overwhelmed by President Repollet's hospitality. I truly felt at home on this campus.” He wrote to me on X. “Commitment to bilateral educational exchange and people-to-people communication is the key to the success of Wenzhou-Ken University, a joint Sino-American institution.”
Repollet, who served as New Jersey's education commissioner under Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy for more than two years, was seen smiling in two of the photos Lee posted. According to RICU's bio, he was responsible for “overseeing the shift to distance learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic and playing a key role in planning for the 2020-2021 academic year.”
Chinese Consul General in New York Chen Li with Kean University's Lamont Repollet. (Chinese Consul General in New York)
Although Biden and Trump administration officials have warned of the influence of the Chinese Communist Party, Repollet has developed deep ties with China dating back several years, a Fox News Digital review found. He recently visited Beijing in October this year to deliver a keynote address at the International Association of University Presidents' Triennial Conference, held in Beijing.
Press statements from the conference He emphasized how passionate Repollet was about equity in education and that his keynote speech highlighted how “AI is a revolutionary tool that can advance equity and change the way we engage with students and support their success.”
He continued: “Artificial intelligence has the potential to help close achievement gaps and ensure that every student, regardless of the challenges they face, has access to high-quality educational resources.” “By delivering personalized learning experiences, AI empowers historically marginalized students with the tools they need to succeed.”
Months ago, Chinese state media amplified Chinese President Xi Jinping's letter to Ripollet, which was a response to a letter he sent to Xi, according to state media.
Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks as he inspects the Western Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army on July 26, 2023. (Li Gang/Xinhua via Getty Images)
“Recently, President Xi Jinping responded to a letter from Lamont Repollet, President of Kean University, encouraging Chinese and American universities to enhance exchanges and cooperation and contribute to China-US friendship,” the Chinese government said in a statement. press release.
Referring to the signing ceremony of the China-US Cooperation Agreement on Jointly Establishing Wenzhou-Ken University in 2006 at Kean University, Xi Jinping said that he is happy to see that with the joint efforts of the two sides, Wenzhou-Ken University has achieved remarkable results and become an enterprise Historically in Sino-American educational cooperation.”
“Xi expressed appreciation for what Repollet said in his message about deepening cooperation with Wenzhou-Qin University and encouraging American students to come to China for exchange and study, and called on the universities of the two countries to strengthen exchanges and cooperation through various methods to achieve success,” the statement continued. “We are working to cultivate young envoys who know “The two countries will do well, and build more bridges to enhance China-US friendship.”
President Xi Jinping meets the press following the China-Central Asia Summit in Xi'an, China, May 19, 2023. (Li Xueren/Xinhua via Getty Images)
In addition, a press release from Wenzhou-Kin University praised Ribollet's “extremely important” visit to China in April 2023.
“Kean University President Lamont O. Ripollet and his accompanying delegation began an important visit to Wenzhou, the first visit in three years,” the press release said. “This visit provided a unique opportunity to enhance interactions between the two universities, promote people-to-people exchanges between Zhejiang Province and New Jersey in the United States, and enhance the long-term friendship between the two countries.”
The press release said that Ribollet arrived in China on March 20, 2023, and wasted no time in meeting with Wenzhou Shuji Party Secretary Liu Xiaotao.
“Mr. Liu Xiaotao expressed his hope that the two sides will continue to build a model of China-US cooperation in the field of education and promote a bridge of friendly exchanges, with a bright future ahead for the university,” the press release said. “President Ribollet expressed his deep gratitude to the Wenzhou Government for its unwavering support for the construction and development of WKU.”
Xiao Tao has been a member of and served in the Communist Party of China since 1991 Different roles Over the past few decades.
Additionally, a Chinese state media company held an event in New York City in September of this year that listed Repollet as a speaker, according to press releaseHe stressed the importance of cultural exchange and diplomacy between peoples in enhancing mutual understanding between nations.
The list of speakers includes several Chinese officials, including Xie Feng, Chinese Ambassador to the United States, and Chen Haixiong, Vice Minister of the Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Haixiong also serves as chairman of China Media Group, an important media conglomerate that plays a key role in the country's state media apparatus.
While Repollet's ties to China have become stronger since he became president of Kean University, his Facebook profile shows that he made multiple visits to China before becoming Kean University's top administrator.
For example, A 2016 Facebook post appears Repollet attends the inaugural graduation ceremony of Wenzhou-Kean University in China as a member of the university's Board of Trustees. He attended the 2017 graduation ceremony in China as well, according to another Facebook post.
Before Chen Lei took the top position at the Chinese Consulate in New York, the position was held by Huang Ping, who has great experience in the field of foreign affairs. Long history Promoting Chinese Communist Party propaganda and calling the Chinese Communist Party a “great party,” denying the alleged genocide of the Uyghurs, and meeting with officials across the United States at universities, media companies, and in elected offices.
Ping met repeatedly with New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Senator Chuck Schumer, and New York City Mayor Eric Adams, all Democrats. Earlier this year, Bing It has been referenced dozens of times In an indictment involving one of Hochul's former top aides.
Huang Ping meets with Pennsylvania State Senator Sharif Street. (Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in New York)
Huang Ping, Consul General of the Chinese Consulate in New York (Screenshot from YouTube/Chinese Consulate General in New York)
Repollet also has ties to Ping dating back to 2021, according to a press release from the Chinese consulate in New York. Peng and Repollet met virtually in December 2021, where Peng congratulated him on his appointment to Kean University and praised “the university for having set a good example of China-US educational cooperation through its successful 10-year campus in Wenzhou, China.”
“(Repollet) strongly agrees that educational cooperation plays a unique role in people-to-people exchanges and in promoting understanding and friendship between the Chinese and American peoples,” the consulate's press release said. “(Repollet) emphasizes that the university highly values globalization and diversity, and strongly supports cooperation with China.”
Months ago, Repollet I recorded a video On behalf of the Chinese Consulate in New York commemorates the “72nd Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China.” In the video, he praised the “strong ties” between his university and China, and said he was “deeply grateful to our Chinese partners and to the staff at Kean USA who continue to work together to help this university and especially our students thrive.”
“I look forward to continuing to collaborate with our partners in China to further develop this great institution and celebrate events like National Day in China together (and) in the future,” Ribollet continued.
A 2023 Share Facebook It also shows Repollet participating in an event marking the last day of Chinese New Year, in which Ping appeared.
Michael Sobolik, author of Countering China's Great Game: A Strategy for American Hegemony, sounded the alarm about this close relationship between Repollet and China, telling Fox News Digital that this relationship is a “cautionary tale.”
“The university hosts a human rights institute, but makes no mention of Beijing’s ongoing genocide against the Uyghurs, its cultural genocide in Tibet, its political crackdown in Hong Kong, or its broader repression of Chinese people at home and abroad,” Sobolik continued. . “This is what happens when American universities collaborate with the Chinese Communist Party: Money and market access motivate Americans to ignore the party’s atrocities and remain silent.”
China expert Michaeli Sobolik said Kean University's relationship with China is a “cautionary tale.” (Getty Images)
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China's consulate in New York, which had previously toed the Chinese Communist Party's line while responding to several Fox News digital inquiries, dismissed Sobolik's analysis by calling him a “so-called expert” who “lacks a fundamental understanding of China.”
The consulate continued, “The statements regarding Xinjiang, Zhezhang, Hong Kong, and human rights are factually incorrect and represent typical misinformation. We strongly oppose such slander and distortion.” “The educational exchange and cooperation between China and the United States is in line with the laws and common interests of both sides, and is transparent and beyond suspicion.”
“Kean University is known for promoting educational equity and inclusivity, and its cooperation with China will provide more learning and development opportunities for students of all ethnic backgrounds in the United States,” the consulate added. He added: “We urge some people in the United States to remove their tinted glasses and look at cooperation objectively and positively.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Kean University for comment, but did not receive a response.
