A 39-year-old Chinese national who is a manager at a Chinese solar panel company has been extradited to Queensland to face charges of attempting to bribe a public official.
Police alleged Zhu Guoxin offered the female official a bag of tea containing $20,000 (US$14,000) in cash during a business meeting in Camp Hill, near Brisbane’s CBD, on July 9.
The woman reported the incident, which led to a joint investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Queensland Police Service.
Police further alleged that the man’s motive was to secure a business advantage.
Zhu was arrested on July 24 when he attempted to board a flight to China at Sydney International Airport, and appeared in a New South Wales Court the following day, where the Queensland Police Service successfully applied for his extradition.
The man appeared before the Brisbane Magistrates Court on July 27, charged with offering a gift or secret commission to an agent.
Zhu is understood to have been dealing with the Clean Energy Council, which maintains official lists of approved solar panels, inverters, and battery storage systems that meet Australian standards for safety and quality.
The Council told The Epoch Times in a statement that it recently became aware of an incident connected with its Approved Products Program.
“Referrals to relevant authorities were made immediately,” it said.
“Every application to the program is assessed against the same requirements and processes.
“The Clean Energy Council does not comment on individual applications or matters concerning particular applicants.”
