United States | A Chinese official residing in Fiji was banned from entering its territory on charges of corruption and bribery | CUAC

Civil Union - Follow-ups The United States announced that it prevented Zhao Fugang, director of the Overseas Chinese Service Center in the Fijian capital, Suva, and his immediate family members from entering American territory, against the backdrop of accusations leveled against him by Washington of involvement in corruption and bribery on behalf of parties linked to China. The US State Department said that Zhao abused his public position by paying bribes to Fijian citizens to advance governmental, commercial and criminal interests linked to China, considering that his actions constituted “substantial corruption” and harmed US interests in Fiji. Under the US decision, Zhao and his immediate family members are generally ineligible to enter the United States. On the other hand, Chow categorically denied the American accusations, and said that he was not given an opportunity to respond to them before the decision was issued, stressing that no criminal charges were brought against him in Fiji, and that he asked the American embassy in Suva to clarify the details of the allegations against him. Source: Agence France-Presse (AFP)