US bars Fiji-based man over corruption tied to China

The State Department has accused the official of paying bribes to Fijian citizens to advance Chinese interests.

A general view of people sitting by the water in Suva, Fiji [File: Pita Simpson/Getty Images]

The US Department of State has publicly designated a Fiji-based man for his involvement in corruption on behalf of Chinese actors.

Zhao Fugang, the director of the Overseas Chinese Service Center, “abused his public position by paying bribes to Fijian citizens to advance China-based government, business, and criminal interests”, the State Department said in a press release on Wednesday.

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“His actions constituted significant corruption and adversely affected U.S. interests in Fiji.”

The designation renders Zhao and his immediate family members “generally ineligible for entry into the United States”.

The US embassy in Suva, Fiji’s capital, said Zhao’s actions left the Pacific nation open to “malign foreign influence facilitated by Chinese government, business, and criminal actors”.

The embassy also said, “Public reporting shows an established trend of criminals operating across the Pacific with ties to China.”

Beijing says Overseas Chinese Service Centers help its nationals with administrative issues abroad, such as renewing driving licences. However, rights groups have alleged they are fronts for Beijing to push interests abroad, including the targeting of dissidents.

In February, the Trump administration sanctioned two leaders of Pacific island nations for alleged corruption tied to China. The US Department of State issued a notice alleging that Hokkons Baules, the president of Palau’s Senate, and Anderson Jibas, a former mayor in the Marshall Islands, had created openings for China to increase its influence in the region.

美国国务院指控该官员向斐济公民行贿，以推进中国的利益。

斐济苏瓦，人们坐在水边的景象 [图片：Pita Simpson/Getty Images]

美国国务院已公开将一名居住在斐济的男子列入制裁名单，指控他代表中国势力参与腐败活动。

美国国务院周三在一份新闻稿中表示，海外华人服务中心主任赵福刚“滥用职权，向斐济公民行贿，以推进中国政府、企业和犯罪集团的利益”。

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“他的行为构成严重腐败，并对美国在斐济的利益产生了不利影响。”

该认定使得赵及其直系亲属“通常不符合进入美国的资格”。

美国驻斐济首都苏瓦大使馆表示，赵立坚的行为使这个太平洋岛国容易受到“中国政府、企业和犯罪分子促成的恶意外国影响”。

大使馆还表示，“公开报道显示，犯罪分子在太平洋地区活动，并与中国有联系，这已成为一种既定趋势。”

北京方面称，海外华人服务中心为中国公民在海外办理行政事务，例如更新驾照。然而，人权组织指责这些中心是北京在海外推行自身利益的幌子，包括打压异见人士。

今年2月，特朗普政府以涉嫌与中国有关的腐败为由，对两名太平洋岛国领导人实施了制裁。美国国务院发布公告称，帕劳参议院议长霍孔斯·鲍勒斯和马绍尔群岛前市长安德森·吉巴斯为中国扩大在该地区的影响力创造了机会。