Maintaining that Chinese businesses operate within the laws of Guyana, the Chinese Embassy on Friday emphasised that both their government and the Communist Party of China have a zero tolerance policy towards corruption.
The statement was in response to an extended Vice News programme on Chinese businesses in Guyana, where journalist Isobel Yeung, while undercover, recorded a number of Chinese businessmen operating in Guyana admitting to laundering money and paying bribes to the government in exchange for lucrative investment deals.
A brief statement issued on Friday morning on the Embassy’s Facebook page said China is a country under the rule of law and Chinese nationals are requested to comply with laws and regulations, and actively fulfill local social responsibilities.
The statement also once again accused the media outlet of seeking to tarnish the reputation of and undermine the China-Guyana bilateral relationship.
The statement added that the in the years of diplomatic relations, the China-Guyana cooperation has always followed the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, bringing tangible benefits to the two countries and two peoples.
There has been no statement from the Guyanese government nor the Chinese Embassy to indicate whether they will be undertaking any investigations into the bribery and money laundering.
In the extended version of the Vice News video report titled ‘Guyana For Sale,’ the operations of Chinese businesses in the country were examined and challenged Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on government corruption. Jagdeo has vehemently denied the insinuations about him and has said that he intends to sue the middleman who made the claims.
The new video released on Thursday reported Chinese businessmen both private and those with connections to China’s government admitting to paying bribes and utilising a middle man to secure deals for investment. The bribes are paid to the middlemen as “consulting fees,” the report revealed. It was also revealed that the Chinese businessmen have access to money launderers who operate within their network to swiftly facilitate financial transactions.
Yeung and her undercover colleague (who she referred to as Mr Chan) in the video posed as investors with an interest in mining, logging and construction. She had explained that this was done to uncover the “corrupt deals” in business between the two countries, which enjoy 50 years of diplomatic relations.
In the report, after speaking with Chinese businessmen they were directed to controversial middleman Su Zhirong, who is said to have the connections to make favourable deals between government and investors.
Before Yeung’s colleague, Mr Chan, could have met with Jagdeo, he had to indicate to Su he has the capital for investment.
Explaining to Su that their capital is tied up in China, he sets up a meeting with “a couple of guys who he (Su) says are able to transfer huge sums of money into the country.”
In the video, Su was heard making the arrangements for Mr Chan to meet with another set of businessmen who are believed to be involved in money laundering.
In a meeting that takes place in a hotel room, the individual tells Yeung and her colleague, “they deal with all the Chinese businessmen here in Guyana.”
In the sit-down, the conversation is in mandarin and it was explained that some fees need to be transferred to government officials and they were given a brief on the transaction process.
According to the men, they use a procedure commonly referred to as “flying money” in the Asian state.
“Money is placed in a bank account in China. The equivalent amount minus a hefty fee is taken out in Guyana getting around taxes and border restrictions,” she explained.
In the twenty four-minute and thirty six-second video, Yeung stated that their objective is to figure out and establish how the Chinese do business with the Guyana government.
At the meet and greet at the private country retreat, she disclosed that a timber exporter offered advice on how to best work the system and secure a lucrative deal. Equipped with body cams, Yeung records the exporter saying, “Everything is under the table,” while another adds, “the whole country is like that.”
As she questioned which connection in the country is most important, the exporter, before she could have completed her question, answers saying “Basically, as long as you have a good relationship with the Vice President, you are set.”
“You don’t need the President. The Vice President. One call will take care of everything,” he said gesturing his hand to illustrate the strength of the person.
Having gone through the process, Su took her colleague Mr. Chan to meet with Jagdeo.
When the initial programme aired on June 18, Jagdeo vowed to sue his tenant and businessman Su for statements in the broadcast suggesting that he (Jagdeo) took bribes.
After Jagdeo had published on February 7, 2022 the interview that he had done with Vice News and in which it was stated that Su had made the allegations against him, Su denied that he had accused Jagdeo of corruption. However, in the programme broadcast on June 18, Su is heard alleging that monies are paid to Jagdeo.
