NZ SIS accuses China of ‘foreign interference’ but state owned China Construction Bank maintains high profile office in NZ, still courting NZ leaders

 by Ganesh Sahathevan 

The New Zealand Secret Intelligence Service has accused China of foreign interference but meanwhile  state owned China Construction Bank (CCB) maintains an  office in New Zealand , and is still courting New Zealand's  leaders.

CCB 's current chairman is Murray Horn. the former Treasury Secretary. The  previous chairman was  former NZ Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, who resigned . Horn was previously adviser to Mainzeal.

Shipley was chairman of Mainzeal when it was put into liquidation. The company was then controlled by prominent Chinese NZ businessman  Richard Yan. The matter of its collapse has gone before New Zealand's courts.

Prominent New Zealand tax expert John Shewan was appointed acting chairman after Shipley's resignation. He was a director of the bank between 2014-2021.

CCB entered the NZ market to participate in wholesale banking and financing of infrastructure. That would make it  a financier of the New Zealand Government and its projects.

TO BE READ WITH 

New Zealand intelligence report accuses China of ‘foreign interference’