中國華信及乍得政府否認涉嫌行賄200萬美元

The government of Chad and CEFC China Energy have both denied involvement in bribes that US authorities allege were offered to Chad’s president through Patrick Ho Chi-ping, former home secretary of Hong Kong and head of a non-governmental organisation funded by the Chinese energy conglomerate.

乍得政府和中國華信能源有限公司（CEFC China Energy，簡稱：華信）均否認參與美國當局所謂的通過何志平(Patrick Ho Chi-ping)向乍得總統提供賄賂的腐敗圖謀。何志平曾任香港民政事務局局長，現擔任香港中華能源基金會(CEFC Hong Kong Non-Governmental Fund Committee)負責人，該基金會是由華信出資成立的一家非政府組織。

Mr Ho and former Senegal foreign minister Cheikh Gadio were arrested and charged in the US this week with violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, international money laundering and conspiracy to commit both.

何志平和前塞內加爾外長謝赫?加迪奧(Cheikh Gadio)上週在美國被捕，本週被控違反美國《反海外腐敗法》(Foreign Corrupt Practices Act)、從事國際洗錢、且合謀犯下這兩項罪行。

A statement from US authorities released late on Tuesday described two schemes, the first of which allegedly saw Mr Gadio assist Mr Ho in causing a Chinese energy conglomerate to offer a $2m bribe — characterised as a “donation” for charitable causes — to Idriss Déby, the president of Chad.

美國當局於週二晚些時候公佈的一項聲明中提到了兩起圖謀，在第一起圖謀中，據稱加迪奧協助何志平促成這家能源集團以慈善事業“捐贈”的名目向乍得總統伊德里斯?德比(Idriss Déby)行賄200萬美元。

“Faced with this umpteenth false allegation, the government of Chad formally refutes this shameful fabrication,” the government of Chad said in a statement cited by AFP, adding that it “rebels against the attitude of the US government and certain agencies that would tarnish the image of Chad and its president”.

法新社(AFP)援引乍得政府的一份聲明表示：“乍得政府無數次面對這種誣告，已正式駁斥了這一可恥謊言。”並表示乍得政府“反對美國政府和某些機構的態度，這將玷污乍得及乍得總統的形象。”

Although CEFC China was not named in the statement, a complaint released alongside it quotes directly from the company’s website, stating the energy conglomerate in question is a Shanghai-based “private collective enterprise with energy and financial services as its core business”. In addition, the complaint’s description of Mr Ho’s leadership role at an unnamed Hong Kong NGO funded by CEFC China also matches exactly his position at the Hong Kong-based China Energy Fund Committee, which is fully funded by CEFC China.

儘管美國當局聲明中並未提及華信，但隨聲明發布的訴狀直接引用了該公司網站上的文字稱，它提到的這家能源企業是一家總部位於上海的“集體制民營企業，主營能源與金融”。訴狀還提到何志平在華信資助的一家不具名的香港非政府組織擔任負責人，而這一身份也恰恰吻合了他在香港中華能源基金會的職位，該基金會由華信全資設立。

CEFC China said in an official statement responding to Mr Ho’s arrest that as “a non-governmental and non-profit organization, [China Energy Fund Committee] is not involved in any of the commercial activities of CEFC China, and has no commercial authorization relationship whatsoever with the company.”

華信針對何志平被捕事件發佈官方聲明表示：“基金會作爲非政府、非營利組織，不參與中國華信的商業性活動，與本公司沒有商業性委託授權關係。”

The energy conglomerate also said the NGO’s aims were to “promote international energy research, conduct public diplomacy, and facilitate global energy cooperation and cultural exchange”. CEFC China added that it “conducts its business activities in strict accordance with the law, and it operates under sound business management.”

該能源集團還表示，這家非政府組織的目標是“推動國際能源問題研究，開展民間公共外交，促進全球能源合作和文化交流。”並表示該公司“依法經營，規範管理。”