Chinese donors to Australian political parties: who gave how much?

Updated

An ABC investigation of recent political donations from the past two years reveals Chinese businesses are by far the largest foreign-linked donors to both major parties.

Between 2013 and 2015 Chinese-linked companies and individual donors poured more than $5.5 million into Liberal and Labor party coffers.

Analysts say Chinese political donations are one way Beijing seeks to gain influence in Australia.

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Donor Year Amount Recipient Donor links Wang Zi Chun 2013-14 $850,000 Labor Party Ever Bright Group says Wang is an employee, but AEC records do not show who the ultimate donor was. The address in Shijiazhuang is also used by a centre for retired Communist party officials. Chau Chak Wing 2013-14 $650,000 Labor Party (federal) Chau has ties to former Foreign Minister and NSW Premier Bob Carr, who is Honorary President of Chan's Association of Australia China Friendship and Exchange. Chau Chak Wing 2013-14 $540,000 Liberal Party Chau has ties to former Foreign Minister and NSW Premier Bob Carr, who is Honorary President of Chan's Association of Australia China Friendship and Exchange. Chau Chak Wing 2013-14 $100,000 National Party Chau has ties to former Foreign Minister and NSW Premier Bob Carr, who is Honorary President of Chan's Association of Australia China Friendship and Exchange. Chau Chak Wing 2013-14 $65,000 Labor Party (NSW branch) Chau has ties to former Foreign Minister and NSW Premier Bob Carr, who is Honorary President of Chan's Association of Australia China Friendship and Exchange. Yuhu Group 2013-14 $425,000 Liberal Party (various branches) Former NSW treasurer Eric Roozendaal joined the group in 2014. It is also donated $20,000 to the Liberal Party the following year. Yuhu Group 2013-14 $100,000 Labor Party (federal) Former NSW treasurer Eric Roozendaal joined the group in 2014. It is also donated $20,000 to the Liberal Party the following year. Anna Wu Meijuan 2013-14 $50,000 Liberal Party (WA branch) Wu is the company secretary for Yuhu Investment Holdings Xu Jingui 2013-14 $400,000 Labor Party (NSW branch) The email addressx used for donation belongs to Clifton Wong, a former Hurstville Councillor Zhaokai Su (Ken Su) 2013-14 $130,000 Labor Party (federal) Uses the same email as Huang Jiebo (who has the same listed address as Fiona Huang Jiefang). Mr Su is recorded as an agent for Yuhu Investment Trust. Zhaokai Su (Ken Su) 2013-14 $70,000 Labor Party (NSW branch) Uses the same email as Huang Jiebo (who has the same listed address as Fiona Huang Jiefang). Mr Su is recorded as an agent for Yuhu Investment Trust. Huang Jiebo 2013-14 $200,000 Liberal Party Uses the same email as Ken Su, same address listed as Fiona Huang Jiefang Fiona Huang Jiefang 2013-14 $100,000 Liberal Party Same address listed as Huang Jiebo (who uses same email address as Ken Su) Lawrence Kung Chin Yuan 2013-14 $200,000 Labor Party (Queensland branch) Kung has been donating to Labor since 1998. David Lin Chun-hong 2013-14 $134,000 Liberal National Party (Queensland) Former president of the Australian Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce. Guo Wen Cheng 2013-14 $100,000 Labor Party (NSW branch) Holds positions in several China-based organisations, including Honorary Chairman of the Australian Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China, and has met with President Xi Jinping. when he visited Sydney in 2014. Hudson Chen Hak Fan 2013-14 $100,000 Liberal Party (NSW branch) An honorary advisor to the Australia China Economics Trade and Culture Association. CST Mining Group 2013-14 $50,000 Liberal Party CST owns and operate the Lady Annie Copper Mine in Queensland. Luo Chuangxiong 2013-14 $50,000 Labor Party The Honorary Chairman of the Cho Shan Association Australia. Luo Chuangxiong 2013-14 $150,000 Labor Party (NSW branch) The Honorary Chairman of the Cho Shan Association Australia. Australian Chinese Teo Chew Association 2013-14 $30,000 Labor Party (NSW branch) To Wing, a Labor donor, is an honorary chairman of the Association To Wing 2013-14 $20,000 Labor Party He is an honorary chairman of the Australian Chinese Teo Chew Association, who donated to Labor's NSW branch Jiang Zhaoqing 2013-14 $260,000 Labor Party This was listed as a donation from the Australia China Elite Business Awards, which included a dozen separate businesses. Mandy Lee Real Estate 2013-14 $20,000 Labor Party The donation was listed as part of a larger sum from Australia China Elite Business Awards Pty Ltd. New Idea Furniture 2013-14 $33,000 Labor Party The donation was listed as part of a larger sum from Australia China Elite Business Awards Pty Ltd. Bon Bon Bakery 2013-14 $27,500 Labor Party The donation was listed as part of a larger sum from Australia China Elite Business Awards Pty Ltd. Hualin Investment 2013-14 $23,600 Labor Party The donation was listed as part of a larger sum from Australia China Elite Business Awards Pty Ltd. AXF Group 2013-14 $33,000 Labor Party The donation was listed as part of a larger sum from Australia China Elite Business Awards Pty Ltd. JD International 2013-14 $20,000 Labor Party The donation was listed as part of a larger sum from Australia China Elite Business Awards Pty Ltd. APEC Links 2013-14 $20,000 Labor Party The donation was listed as part of a larger sum from Australia China Elite Business Awards Pty Ltd. Grand City 2013-14 $18,000 Labor Party The donation was listed as part of a larger sum from Australia China Elite Business Awards Pty Ltd. Han-Ming Australia 2013-14 $20,000 Labor Party The donation was listed as part of a larger sum from Australia China Elite Business Awards Pty Ltd. AGF Group 2013-14 $8,800 Labor Party The donation was listed as part of a larger sum from Australia China Elite Business Awards Pty Ltd. United Mining Resources 2013-14 $5,500 Labor Party The donation was listed as part of a larger sum from Australia China Elite Business Awards Pty Ltd. Illusion Auto Supply 2013-14 $10,000 Labor Party The donation was listed as part of a larger sum from Australia China Elite Business Awards Pty Ltd. Peter Chan 2013-14 $200,000 Labor Party It is unclear whether this return, made by Chan's Sunpac Resources Pty Ltd, is the same donation as another one listed by Chan's additional company Wei Wei International Trading Pty Ltd Ever Bright Group 2014-15 $200,000 Liberal Party Ever Bright Group also says an employee donated $850,000 to Labor in 2013-14. Jiandong Huang 2014-15 $200,000 Liberal Party The AFR reported that Huang was linked to a large Chinese developer, whose operations have expanded into Australia. Yuhu Group 2014-15 $20,000 Liberal Party Donated $425,000 to the Liberals in 2013-14, as well as $100,000 to labor. Former NSW treasurer Eric Roozendaal joined the group in 2014. A Labor delegation also visited the group in China in 2015. Jianping and Min Fu Zhang 2014-15 $200,000 Labor Party (Victorian Branch) Have attended a 2014 fundraising dinner with Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. Federal shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus was also at the event. Jianping and Min Fu Zhang 2014-15 $100,000 Labor Party (Victorian Branch) Have attended a 2014 fundraising dinner with Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. Federal shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus was also at the event. Yilin Zhu 2014-15 $50,000 Labor Party Eng Joo Ang 2014-15 $110,000 Labor Party (NSW branch) One of the executive vice presidents of the Australian Council for the Peaceful Reunification of China, whose patrons include Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen, Senator Sam Dastyari, Bob Carr and Philip Ruddock. Nine Dragons 2014-15 $20,000 Labor Party (Victorian Branch) This horse training facility is owned by a Chinese business group.

Background on key donors

Publicly available records from the Australian Electoral Commission reveal large political donations given by Chinese-linked companies and individual donors between 2013 and 2015.

Zi Chun Wang

$850,000 was donated to the Labor Party from Zi Chun Wang, whose provided address is used by a branch of the China Construction Bank, a division of the provincial Development and Reform Commission and by a centre for retired Communist Party of China cadres.

Henry Tsai, director of property development at Ever Bright Group in Australia, has reportedly claimed Mr Zi Chun Wang is a Chinese employee. Ever Bright Group also donated $200,000 to the Liberal Party the following year.

Chau Chak Wing

$650,000 was donated to the federal Labor Party, $540,000 to the Liberal Party, $100,000 to the National Party and $65,000 to the NSW branch of the Labor Party from Chau Chak Wing through his Kingold and Hong Kong Kingson Investments companies.

Mr Chau is linked to a partly state-backed newspaper, the Australian New Express Daily, launched by then NSW premier Bob Carr in 2004. Mr Carr is also an honorary president of the Association of Australia China Friendship and Exchange, of which Mr Chau is president.

Yuhu Group

The Yuhu Group (Australia) Pty Ltd contributed $425,000 in total to branches of the Liberal Party and $100,000 to the federal Labor Party. The Yuhu Group (Australia) Pty Ltd is a subsidiary of a state-linked operation based in China which intends to represent the state in agricultural investments in Australia. Former NSW treasurer Eric Roozendaal joined the group in 2014.

Huang Xiangmo

The Yuhu Group's chairman, Huang Xiangmo, is a donor to the University of Technology Sydney and claims to chair the board of its Australia-China Relations Institute, which was launched by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and the director of which is former foreign minister Mr Carr.

ABC's 7.30 broadcast a segment on Mr Huang and his political donations in June 2015.

Anna Wu Meijuan

A donation of $50,000 to the WA Branch of the Liberal Party was recorded as being from Anna Wu Meijuan. Ms Wu is the company secretary for Yuhu Investment Holdings.

Zhaokai Su (Ken Su), Huang Jiebo and Fiona Huang Jiefang

Zhaokai Su (Ken Su) - an agent for the Yuhu Investment Trust - was named as donor of $130,000 to the federal Labor Party and a $70,000 donation to the NSW branch of the Labor Party.

Huang Jiebo, who uses the same email address as Ken Su, donated $200,000 to the Liberal Party, and is recorded at an address in Mosman.

Fiona Huang Jiefang of the same Mosman address also donated $100,000 to the Liberal Party.

Xu Jingui

A donation of $400,000 was made to NSW Labor by Xu Jingui. The email address provided on the return is the email address of Clifton Wong, who formerly served as a councillor on Hurstville Council.

Australia China Elite Business Awards

The Australia China Elite Business Awards Pty Ltd, which is run by Jiang Zhaoqing, is recorded as contributing $260,000 to the Labor Party in 2013-14.

The donor's disclosure to the AEC indicated, however, this amount was actually donated by a wide range of other companies.

Most of the companies which donated through Australia China Elite Business Awards Pty Ltd won awards at the 2013 Australia China Elite Business Awards event, which was attended by former prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Bob Hawke.

Sunpac Resources

In 2013–14, Sydney-based Sunpac Resources Pty Ltd gave $200,000 to the Australian Labor Party.

Sunpac is controlled by Peter Chan, who joined then NSW deputy premier Andrew Stoner on a trip to Hong Kong in August 2014.

Mr Chan heads the Chao Shan Association of Australia and is a deputy chairman of the Australian Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China, whose patrons includes Mr Carr, Chris Bowen and Sam Dastyari.

Lawrence Kung Chin Yuan

Lawrence Kung Chin Yuan donated $200,000 to the Queensland Labor Party in 2013-14. Mr Kung's connections with former ROC president Chen Shui-bian and former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd attracted some media attention in 2009.

David Lin Chun-hong

David Lin Chun-hong, a lawyer and property agent of Sunnybank Queensland, made a donation of $134,000 to the Liberal National Party of Queensland.

Mr Lin is a prominent member of the Queensland Branch of the Australian Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce and a former president of the organisation.

The chamber is listed as an economic promotional body by the Taiwan Government, and it organises Taiwan-linked activities in Australia.

Guo Wen Cheng

Guo Wen Cheng is recorded as donating $100,000 to the NSW Branch of the ALP.

Mr Guo is also one of the honorary chairmen of the Australian Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China and met with President Xi Jinping when he visited Sydney in 2014.

Hudson Chen Hak Fun

Hudson Chen Hak Fun, whose Sydney businesses include Skydate Pty Ltd, made a donation of $100,000 to the NSW branch of the Liberal Party.

Mr Chen is an honorary adviser to the Australia China Economics Trade and Culture Association, which serves as a PRC united front organisation, chaired by Xue Shuihe, who also sits on the standing committee of the Chengdu City CPPCC.

CST Mining Group

The CST Mining Group (China Sci-Tech Holdings), based in Hong Kong, made a $50,000 donation to the Liberal Party in 2013-14.

CST Mining Group is a China-backed, Cayman Islands-registered copper mining company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

CST operates its wholly owned Lady Annie Copper Mine in Queensland.

Luo Chuangxiong

Luo Chuangxiong of North Willoughby donated $50,000 to the federal Labor Party, after he donated $150,000 to the NSW branch of the Labor Party in 2012-13.

Mr Luo also participated in the Chinese Business Leader Roundtable Meeting convened by former NSW premier Barry O'Farrell and facilitated by Huang Xiangmo of Yuhu in April 2014.

As an honorary chairman of the Chao Shan Association of Australia, Mr Luo is frequently involved in meeting and greeting senior political figures from China.

Australia Chinese Teo Chew Association

The Australia Chinese Teo Chew Association made a donation of $30,000 to the NSW branch of the Labor Party.

Its chairman, Frank Chou, is now engaged with the Melbourne-based Aust-China Real Estate Development Co. Pty Ltd and is a life senior honorary adviser to the PRC-backed Australian Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China.

He is a consultant to the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese.

Mr To Wing, an honorary chairman of this association, also donated $20,000 to the federal Labor Party.

Topics: federal-government, federal-parliament, australia

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