Flashback, 2013: a ceremony at Borough Hall involving aide Winnie Greco, a delegation from Shanghai, and a future ESD Director

Well, I missed this Nov. 27, 2013 article, Brooklyn, Shanghai hook up‏, in state-owned China Daily.

It covered the signing of a "friendship agreement" between Brooklyn and Shanghai's Putuo district. 

The photo shows Cheng Xiangmin, Governor of Shanghai's Putuo District, exchanging gifts with Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, with Assemblymember Peter Abbate, who at that point  represented the Chinese-dominant eastern section of Sunset Park and the Chinese-ascendant neighborhood of Bensonhurst.

Unmentioned in the caption is Winnie Greco, Markowitz's unpaid but influential self-proclaimed Director, China-U.S. Affairs Department, who went on to serve Borough President and then Mayor Eric Adams before falling under federal investigation. 

Also unmentioned: the "friendship arch"--between Brooklyn and Beijing, not Shanghai--that the Borough Presidents championed, with Greco as leader of a nonprofit, but which never got built.

The Atlantic Yards mention

There was a reason for ties to Shanghai. The meeting came after Shanghai-based Greenland Holding Group agreed to acquire a 70 percent share of Atlantic Yards going forward, excepting the arena company and the B2 tower, and form a joint venture with original developer Forest City Ratner.

"I hope that in the future companies like Greenland will come to New York and Brooklyn, and not only make investments here, but also open manufacturing facilities," Markowitz told China Daily.

Well, that hasn't worked out, as Greenland is facing foreclosure of its rights to build six towers over the MTA's Vanderbilt Yard.

I wrote in September 2014 about how Adams tried to meet with Greenland when he visited China, only to host a delegation at Borough Hall in June 2014.

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About John Wang

The article noted that John Wang, president of New York in China Center, helped organize the visit and said, optimistically, "Though the agreement may be vaguely worded, the substance is the increasing contact and exchange that will result in a very concrete outcome."

At the start of the video, Wang is on the left side of the screen when Cheng is speaking; i.e., to his right. In the second half of the video, Wang talks about the possibility of cultural and business exchanges.

It's worth noting that Wang since June 2022 has been one of the nine directors of Empire State Development (ESD), the state authority that oversees/shepherds Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park.

 

In January, I cited Wang, Founder and President, Asian American Business Development Center, as an ESD Director, but didn't know of his Atlantic Yards connection.

 

His bio states:

John Wang is President of the Asian American Business Development Center, Inc. (AABDC) which he founded in 1994. AABDC is a unique non-profit consulting organization, originally established to provide technical and professional assistance to Asian American small businesses.

Over the years, a major component of AABDC’s work has expanded into the promotion and advocacy of Asian American executives, business leaders and entrepreneurs through the Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business Award which recognizes the achievement and contribution of Asian Americans in the general economy. Over 700 Asian Americans have been honored since 2001.

Under John’s leadership, AABDC has established a distinguished track record and leadership role in promoting U.S.-China trade through organizing trade missions, seminars and workshops, conferences and trade shows, and networking events in the U.S. and in China since 2000.

In 2008, John founded the New York in China Center with the goal of creating a New York presence in China to help New York businesses access the China market and attract Chinese investment to New York. More recently, he has also begun collaboration with other key minority groups with the aim of launching a New Majority Alliance that will pool the strengths and promote collaboration among the Asian, Hispanic and African American business communities.

As City & State said in its May 2023 list of New York’s 100 most politically powerful Asian Americans, Wang (#74) is "the first Asian American to serve on the Empire State Development board since its multiagency merger in 1995.

An ESD issue?

 

Would Wang recuse himself from any ESD vote regarding Greenland USA? Those indirect ties may not be enough.

Moreover, there may not be a vote--it might be a staff decision, for example, to postpone the damages due June 1 of $2,000/month for each of the 876 unbuilt affordable housing units.

Then again, even if Wang did recuse himself, it surely wouldn't materially change the outcome of an ESD vote, since the directors are typically in lockstep.