FIRST ON FOX: A top diplomat of the Chinese Communist Party, who recently replaced a controversial official with deep ties to top New York Democrats, recently touted his relationship with an American university president and former top education official in New Jersey.
Chen Li, who assumed the role of consul general of the People’s Republic of China in New York last month, took to social media last week to praise the “warm hospitality” he received from Kean University President Lamont Repollet.
“Absolutely overwhelmed by the warm hospitality from President Repollet. I truly felt at home on this campus,” Li wrote on X. “The commitment to bilateral educational exchange and people to people connections is key to the success of Wenzhou-Kean University, a Chinese-American joint institution.”
Repollet, who served as New Jersey’s commissioner of education under Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy for more than two years, was seen smiling in two of the photos that Li posted. According to Repollet’s Kean University biography, he was in charge of “overseeing the shift to remote education amid the COVID-19 pandemic and playing a key role in planning for the 2020-2021 school year.”
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Despite Biden and Trump administration officials warning about the influence of the CCP, Repollet has developed deep ties to China dating back several years, a Fox News Digital review found. He most recently visited Beijing in October of this year to give a keynote speech at the Triennial Conference of the International Association of University Presidents, which was held in Beijing.
Press releases from the conference emphasized how Repollet was passionate about equity in education and that his keynote speech highlighted how “AI is a revolutionary tool that can foster equity and transform how we engage with students and support their success.”
“AI has the power to help close achievement gaps and ensure that every student, no matter their challenges, has access to high-quality educational resources,” he continued. “By offering personalized learning experiences, AI empowers historically marginalized students with the tools they need to succeed.”
Months earlier, Chinese state media amplified China President Xi Jinping’s letter to Repollet, which was in response to a letter he sent to Xi, according to state media.
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“Recently, President Xi Jinping replied to a letter from Lamont Repollet, president of Kean University of the United States, encouraging Chinese and American universities to strengthen exchanges and cooperation and contribute to China-U.S. friendship,” the Chinese government said in a press release.
“Recalling witnessing the signing ceremony of the China-U.S. cooperation agreement on jointly establishing Wenzhou-Kean University in 2006 at Kean University, Xi Jinping said he is pleased to see that with the joint efforts of both sides, Wenzhou-Kean University has achieved remarkable results and become a landmark project in China-U.S. educational cooperation.”
“Xi expressed appreciation for what Repollet said in his letter about deepening cooperation with Wenzhou-Kean University and encouraging American students to come to China for exchange and study, and called on universities of the two countries to step up exchanges and cooperation through different modalities to cultivate young envoys who know both countries well, and build more bridges to promote China-U.S. friendship,” the statement continued.
Additionally, a press release from Wenzhou-Kean University touted Repollet’s “momentous” visit to China in April 2023.
“Kean University President Lamont O. Repollet and his delegation embarked on a momentous visit to Wenzhou, marking the first visit in three years,” the press release said. “This visit presented a unique opportunity to strengthen the interactions between the two universities, foster people-to-people exchanges between Zhejiang province and New Jersey in the United States, and enhance the long-standing friendship between the two countries.”
The press release said Repollet arrived in China on March 20, 2023, and he “wasted no time” meeting with Wenzhou Party Secretary Shuji Liu Xiaotao.
“Mr. Liu Xiaotao expressed his hope that the two sides would continue to build a model of Sino-US cooperation in education and foster a bridge of friendly exchanges, with a bright future ahead for the university,” the press release states. “President Repollet extended his heartfelt gratitude to the Wenzhou government for its unwavering support toward the construction and development of WKU.”
Xiaotao has been a member of the Chinese Communist Party since 1991 and has served in various roles over the last 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 where, according to a press release, he “emphasized the importance of cultural exchange and people-to-people diplomacy in fostering mutual understanding between nations.”
