The donor in the political storm
A businessman who rogue MP Jami-Lee Ross has alleged provided $100,000 in donations to Simon Bridges, hosted the National Party leader for dinner, his wife says.
Auckland resident Yikun Zhang became a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in September for his services to New Zealand-China relations and the Chinese community.
In an explosive interview from Parliament House, Ross said he had a recording which proved Zhang had donated $100,000 to
Simon Bridges, which was then handled in a corrupt way.
Ross alleges the payment was split into smaller donations, and not disclosed to the Electoral Commission. Candidate donations of more than $1500 must be declared in a candidate’s return of expenses and donations.
Speaking from their
Remuera home, Zhang’s wife Annie said her husband was away in China and not back for two weeks.
She confirmed Simon Bridges had been at their house for dinner before, but said she did not know about any donations.
On the Companies Office register, Zhang is listed as a director of HLG Holding, Trans Tasman International, Chao Shan Trustee, Chao Hui Holding and KCC Construction, which says it specialises in residential construction in the Auckland region.
He is founder and chairman of Chao Shan General Association – an organisation of New Zealand Chinese who share the same hometown of Chaoshan, a region in the coastal city Guangdong, China.
In July, National Party deputy leader Paula Bennett posted photos on her Facebook page of her and Jami-Lee Ross sitting at the same table as Zhang for the opening of the Chao Shan General Association’s new function centre.
The Chao Shan General Association also has members in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
Chao Shan General Association of New Zealand was founded on the basis of Chinese (Chaoshan) culture. It aims to unite all Chaoshan people, making contributions to communication and co-operation between New Zealand and China, and enhancing the development of both places. It recently donated an ambulance to St John Ambulance.
In 2017, Zhang was part of an Auckland Council business delegation to Guangzhou. That delegation was to provide Auckland businesses with a chance to explore business and investment opportunities.