Former Hochul Aide's Family Ties to CCP Sparks Concerns Over National Security

A former senior aide to New York Governor Kathy Hochul is under renewed scrutiny after revelations surfaced regarding her family's longstanding ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its powerful state media apparatus. Elaine Fan, also known as Fan Xiaojiang, is currently the chief of staff for Democrat Scott Stringer’s mayoral campaign. Her background in Democratic politics in New York is extensive, but her family history and previous roles have drawn attention amid heightened concerns over foreign influence in local and national governance.

Fan, an immigrant from Beijing, was celebrated by the City University of Hong Kong’s Centre for Communication Research in a 2021 announcement that highlighted her unique distinction as an Asian-American leader within New York State government. However, archived biographies reveal that her father, Fan Dongsheng, held significant positions in China’s state-run media and propaganda departments, including as deputy director of the CCP’s Education Department of the News Bureau of the Central Propaganda Department. He also served as president and editorial director of China Press, or Qiaobao, in New York between 1999 and 2005, a media outlet designated by the U.S. State Department as a “state-backed propaganda” entity and a “foreign mission.”

Fan’s career spans both journalism and government. She served as chief reporter for Ming Pao Daily News in New York for nearly a decade, a media organization flagged by defense policy experts for its close ties to the Chinese government. Before entering public service, Fan built her reputation within New York’s vibrant Chinese-American community and quickly advanced into influential positions, including her role as Director of Asian Affairs in the Hochul administration between 2021 and 2023. Campaign finance records show she has earned substantial compensation from Stringer’s current campaign, totaling more than $120,000 since August.

Importantly, the connections do not end with Fan’s father. Family records indicate that her late grandfather, Fan Changjiang, was a prominent CCP member who served as editor-in-chief of the Xinhua News Agency—the country’s main state-run news outlet—and as president of the People’s Daily News Agency. Her uncle, Fan Xiaojian, was also involved in party leadership, holding high-ranking roles within the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and serving as a delegate to the National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

Concerns about Fan’s influence in U.S. public affairs have been amplified by her documented participation in events linked to the United Front, a CCP initiative that seeks to expand the party’s influence abroad and neutralize opposition. In September 2023, for instance, she was a guest of honor at a consular event in New York City organized by the U.S.-Fujian Western Overseas Chinese Association, a group identified by Chinese authorities as part of the United Front network. She has also appeared at other events supported by the Chinese Consulate and organizations criticized for promoting CCP interests overseas.

New York politicians’ relationships with individuals tied to Chinese state interests have come under sharper focus in recent years. The investigation spotlighted another controversy last year involving Hochul's former deputy chief of staff, Linda Sun, who was federally indicted on charges ranging from visa fraud to acting as an unregistered foreign agent. Documents from that case revealed attempts to downplay or omit references to sensitive topics such as China’s repression of Uyghur minorities from official communications—an episode that deepened anxieties about the potential for foreign influence in U.S. government operations.

National security analysts point out that “the stakes are extremely high” when individuals with direct or indirect links to foreign authoritarian regimes occupy influential roles in American political campaigns and public office. Critics argue that, regardless of intent or direct involvement, the appearance of senior staffers maintaining close familial and professional relationships with CCP-aligned media and organizations should be a major concern for voters and public officials alike.

Despite repeated requests for comment, neither Elaine Fan nor Governor Hochul’s office has responded publicly to questions about the nature or extent of these connections. As Stringer’s mayoral campaign progresses and New York remains a focal point for global migration and international engagement, the growing scrutiny over possible vectors of foreign influence is expected to intensify.