Brother-in-law of top Dem senator played key role in recruiting Chinese firms to deep blue state
The brother-in-law of a top Democratic senator, Anthony “Tony” Malkin, has come under scrutiny for his repeated interactions with diplomats working on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and his efforts to recruit Chinese businesses to lease office space as part of his family’s real estate empire. Malkin, who is the brother-in-law of Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and the chairman and CEO of Empire State Realty Trust, Inc., has a long history of hosting Chinese diplomats and securing leases with Chinese companies.
According to a Fox News Digital review, Malkin has hosted multiple consuls general of the People’s Republic of China in New York for over 15 years and has traveled to China to recruit companies to lease office space in New York City. He has reportedly secured leases with several Chinese companies, including state-owned Air China LTD, Hong-Kong-based telecommunications company PCCW-HKT DataCom Services Ltd, and People’s Daily Online, a media outlet controlled by the CCP.
One of the Chinese companies that reportedly rented the largest office space from Malkin was Li & Fung Ltd, a multinational Hong Kong-based group with ties to the CCP. Victor Fung, the chairman of Li & Fung Ltd, has been a longtime member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and currently serves as a vice chairman of the China-United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF), a CCP front group.
In addition to securing leases with Chinese companies, Malkin reportedly launched a “China business desk” to cater to the demand of Chinese businesses and cooperated with Chinese tour groups. However, a spokesperson for Empire State Realty Trust pushed back on these claims, stating that Malkin had never seen the 2011 article that mentioned these activities.
Despite the pushback, Malkin’s connections to Chinese diplomats and businesses have raised concerns about potential influence from the CCP. Sen. Blumenthal’s office has distanced the senator from Malkin’s activities, stating that he has no control over his brother-in-law’s business dealings. However, experts on U.S.-China relations warn against making it easier for the CCP to penetrate U.S. businesses and civil society.
The cozy relationship between Malkin and Chinese diplomats has come under scrutiny, particularly in light of the CCP’s human rights abuses against the Uyghur population and other minority groups. Former Chinese Consul General Huang Ping, who had a close relationship with Malkin, was referenced in an indictment against Gov. Kathy Hochul’s former deputy chief of staff for violating the Foreign Agents Registration Act, visa fraud, alien smuggling, and money laundering conspiracy.
As concerns about Chinese influence in the U.S. continue to grow, Malkin’s connections to Chinese diplomats and businesses highlight the need for greater transparency and scrutiny of interactions between American officials and foreign entities.
