U.S. Diplomat Fired for Hiding Romantic Relationship with Daughter of Senior CCP Official

Illustration shows the United States Department of State logo and the U.S. flag

[People News] The U.S. Department of State confirmed on September 8 that it has dismissed an American diplomat for admitting to having a romantic relationship with a Chinese woman linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The woman’s father is a high-ranking provincial or ministerial CCP official. This is reportedly the first time since the Biden administration introduced a related ban late last year that a U.S. diplomat has been dismissed for violating it.

According to reports from the Associated Press, Fox News, and The Straits Times on October 9, State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement that after President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio reviewed the case, the department determined that the diplomat “admitted to concealing his relationship with a Chinese citizen known to have ties to the CCP.” He was immediately dismissed from his diplomatic post. Pigott stated, “Under Secretary Rubio’s leadership, we will enforce a zero-tolerance policy toward any employees who compromise national security.”

The State Department’s statement did not disclose the diplomat’s name. However, he and his girlfriend appeared in a secretly recorded video uploaded online by conservative activist James O’Keefe.

On August 6, O’Keefe Media Group reported that U.S. State Department diplomat Daniel Choi, in a conversation with an undercover reporter from the group, said, “I defied the government for love.” He admitted knowingly failing to report his romantic relationship with a 27-year-old Chinese citizen named Joi Zao (phonetic). Daniel revealed that Zao’s father is a senior CCP official. “Her dad should be a provincial or central Ministry of Education official,” he said, “just a typical Communist Party cadre.” When asked whether Zao could be involved in espionage, he replied, “She could be a spy.” Daniel said he would only consider reporting the relationship if it became serious or moved toward marriage.

Late last year, following the U.S. presidential election and shortly before then-President Biden’s term ended, the Biden administration’s State Department explicitly required that all government personnel stationed in mainland China—and their family members, as well as contractors with security clearance—must not engage in romantic or sexual relationships with Chinese citizens.

The State Department stated on the 8th that this was the first known dismissal action since President Trump returned to office and signed the related executive order, which requires all personnel to “faithfully implement the President’s policies.”

CCP Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun declined to comment on the incident, saying it was an internal U.S. matter and calling it “a malicious smear against China.” Guo made the remarks at a regular press conference. △