Chinese Group Claimed Rudd As Envoy
The Sunday Age
Sunday March 23, 2008
THE head of a Chinese organisation that has been effectively blacklisted by the Federal Government boasted that Kevin Rudd would lead a delegation to China on its behalf.
In an email to Tasmanian education officials in 2005, Michael Guo said Mr Rudd, who was then opposition foreign affairs spokesman, would be taking a delegation to China later that year.Mr Guo, who heads the mysterious Australian International Trade Association (AITA), said other politicians heading delegations in 2005 would include MPs Bronwyn Bishop and Kelly Hoare.There is no evidence that Mr Rudd led the delegation. His office told The Sunday Age that he had not accepted free trips from AITA. However, Mr Rudd had spoken at "two or three events where AITA members were in attendance". It is not clear whether these were in China or Australia. Mr Guo had attended at least one of these events, Mr Rudd's office said.The Prime Minister has been under sustained attack over his connection with Chinese entrepreneur Ian Tang and his company, Beijing AustChina Technology, which is a generous donor to the Labor and National parties. The company flew Mr Rudd and members of his front bench to China and elsewhere when they were in opposition.
© 2008 The Sunday Age