By Patrick Gower
Questions are being asked about the Chinese Government's role in the controversial Crafar farms deal after it has been revealed that a Chinese diplomat paid a visit to the Overseas Investment Office while it was vetting the bid.
China has many more infants that need milk than New Zealand has, which is of course why a Chinese consortium wants the Crafar farms, but after nine months of waiting for approval, and now yet another delay, the Chinese government is keeping a close eye on the case.
But now Opposition parties are asking questions about the visit of Cheng Lei, one of China’s most powerful diplomats in New Zealand, to the Overseas Investment Office in August last year as it dealt with the Shanghai Pung-xin bid.
Watch the full interview with Cheng Lei
Mr Lei says the visit was a routine “catch-up”.
“It’s normal contact between the Chinese Government and the various agencies of New Zealand Government. It’s nothing concerned with the Pengxin case,” says Mr Lei.
Russel Norman of the Greens Party says it is acceptable behaviour for the Chinese Government, but not so for the New Zealand Government.
“Isn’t that just what a diplomat’s supposed to do? The problem isn’t so much with the Chinese Government because they are just doing what’s in their best interests. The problem is with the New Zealand Government which isn’t doing what’s in New Zealand’s best interests,” says Mr Norman.
The Chinese Government, like their New Zealand counterparts, no doubt want the deal to go through with as little controversy as possible, but the deal is turning into an unmitigated political disaster.
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