In wake of charges against governor’s aide, Asian-Americans fear a backlash

When Russell Jeung heard this week that a Chinese-American former aide to New York’s governor was indicted on charges of acting as an agent of Beijing, his spirits plunged. His concern matched that of others who feared the collateral damage: that this could stir a fresh wave of prejudice against the Asian-American Pacific Islander community.

“I’m crestfallen. I don’t know a better way to describe it. It’s what racial minorities feel when a stereotype gets realised,” said Jeung, an Asian American Studies professor at San Francisco State University and co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate.

“Here’s another real-life example of an old ‘Yellow Peril’ stereotype. It then reinforces the broader society’s view of Chinese-Americans as suspects and as potential spies and as disloyal.”

On Tuesday, Linda Sun, a former deputy chief of staff to Governor Kathy Hochul and an aide to former governor Andrew Cuomo before that, was charged with acting as an undisclosed agent of the Chinese government and laundering millions of dollars.

Chris Hu, her husband and co-defendant, was charged with money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to commit bank fraud, prosecutors said.