By Kaya Selby of RNZ Pacific
The United States has designated a prominent Chinese businessman in Fiji for “significant corruption” on behalf of China-based actors.
Zhao Fugang, owner of the Yue Lai Hotel in Suva and the Overseas Chinese Service Center located within it, is alleged to be a senior member of a syndicate involved in drug smuggling, money laundering, and human trafficking, according to the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).
In a statement on Wednesday (Thursday NZ time), the US State Department said Zhao actively pays bribes to Fijian citizens to “advance China-based government, business, and criminal interests”.
“His actions constituted significant corruption and adversely affected US interests in Fiji,” the statement read.
The designation renders Zhao and his immediate family ineligible for entry into the US.
An OCCRP investigation in 2024 revealed that the hotelier has been in the crosshairs of Australian and other Western intelligence agencies since mid-2023.
It said his business interests stretch from tourism to property development, and his personal relationships have extended as high as former Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama.
Stayed silent
Zhao has stayed silent on those allegations.
He has established himself as a prominent figure in Fiji’s social scene, often seen at Chinese cultural and celebratory events alongside key government figures — both during the Bainimarama era and under the current administration.
RNZ Pacific has asked Zhao via his hotel for comment. RNZ Pacific has also requested comments from the Chinese Embassy in Fiji and the Chinese Association of Fiji.
Meanwhile, other US corruption designations in the Pacific this year have included Palauan politicians Hokkons Baules — also for alleged links to China — and Anderson Jibas.
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