The Party Secretary of Yunnan Province, Li Jiheng recently disclosed that Gao Yan, former head of the State Grid, had fled to Australia after being to linked to corruption way back in 1995 and accused of pilfering millions of dollars earmarked for power projects.
The Central Discipline Inspection Commission (CDIC), China's anti-corruption watchdog body, separately divulged that it has now stationed 31 agents abroad in connection with 'Operation Foxhunt' to recover illegal wealth stashed abroad by Chinese. The CDIC website said China has 62 anti-corruption agents working in embassies and consulates around the world and had established "co-operation mechanisms" with the United States,Canada and Australia. Australia has regularly been named as a top three destination for corrupt Chinese officials, who are attracted by the strong legal system and the lack of an extradition treaty with Beijing.
The Australian Financial Review, a week-end newspaper, has previously reported that Gao Yan's son, Gao Xinyuan, had registered companies in Australia and was involved in a Sydney property development.
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