World

US Designates Fiji Official for Bribery Linked to China

By AFP

The U.S. Department of State has publicly designated Zhao Fugang, director of the Overseas Chinese Service Center, for corruption on behalf of Chinese actors. The State Department said Zhao abused his public position by paying bribes to Fijian citizens to advance Chinese government, business, and criminal interests, and that his actions harmed U.S. interests in Fiji. The designation makes Zhao and his immediate family generally ineligible for entry into the United States. The U.S. embassy in Suva stated that Zhao’s conduct left Fiji vulnerable to malign foreign influence from Chinese government, business, and criminal actors and noted a trend of criminals operating across the Pacific with ties to China. Beijing says Overseas Chinese Service Centers assist its nationals with administrative matters abroad, but rights groups allege they serve as fronts for Beijing to advance its interests, including targeting dissidents. In February, the Trump administration sanctioned two leaders of Pacific island nations for alleged corruption tied to China, alleging they created openings for China to increase its influence in the region.