jack

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/118419927/national-mp-jian-yang-organised-simon-bridges-controversial-china-trip-emails-show?cid=facebook.post&fbclid=IwAR1fZ2DVcbUlvqYa2dmbr8gdkMGoW1ruVdmt-3-SlKDr77asQZM0yOnuyz0 National MP Jian Yang organised Simon Bridges' controversial China trip, emails show Harrison Christian11:00, Jan 05 2020 Simon Bridges' controversial China visit was organised by Jian Yang, the National MP who admitted to training Chinese spies, official emails show. Bridges was criticised for praising the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in an interview on Chinese state television during the five-day trip in September. He also came under scrutiny for meeting the person in charge of the country's secret police, at a time when the CCP was detaining more than a million Uighur Muslims. Correspondence released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) under the Official Information Act showed National MP Jian Yang put together the trip's itinerary. READ MORE: * Bridges opens up foreign policy divide on China * Blessings in India a special part of this trip, says National leader Simon Bridges * Chinese businessman Yikun Zhang's donations go beyond Simon Bridges Yang came under intense scrutiny shortly before the 2017 election when it was revealed he taught English at an elite Chinese spy school before emigrating to New Zealand. Yang also studied at another military intelligence facility where Xu Meihong, a famous Chinese spy, was his classmate, according to the Financial Times. All up, he worked in Chinese military intelligence for 15 years. In late August, Yang emailed National Party staff with the itinerary he put together for Bridges and said: "I'm rather pleased with it". A member of the Chinese Communist Party's 25-man Politburo would meet the delegation "although we do not know who that person is", Yang said in the email. That person turned out to be Guo Shengkun, the head of the CCP's secret police. Bridges' visit drew international attention from China watchers and journalists. The Asia editor of the Financial Times, Jamil Anderlini, tweeted: "Why is the leader of New Zealand's biggest opposition party meeting with the head of China's secret police? And why is he in Beijing with a New Zealand member of parliament who spent 15 years working for Chinese military intelligence?" David Capie, director of Victoria University's Centre for Strategic Studies, called Bridges' comments in his state media interview "truly extraordinary". "Alarming to have such a big gap between government and opposition views/language concerning such a critical relationship," Capie said. Yang and Bridges also arranged to travel together in the same car between events on their programme, emails show. Gerry Brownlee, National's spokesperson for GCSB, NZSIS and foreign affairs, was also on the trip. In late August, nine days before Bridges and Brownlee were due to touch down in China, they hadn't asked for any assistance from MFAT. I've asked for copies of [Bridges'] programmes; offered in person briefings by senior MFAT officials; and indicated the extent of assistance MFAT can provide three times now," an MFAT staff member wrote to other staff. "I'm not inclined to offer again, but perhaps we will see a last minute scramble of requests." A colleague responded: "I agree you have done more than enough in terms of making it clear we stand ready to assist." MORE FROM HARRISON CHRISTIAN • SENIOR REPORTER harrison.christian@stuff.co.nz The following day, an MFAT staffer emailed David Mahon, a Kiwi businessman based in Beijing, and Andrew Robinson, New Zealand's Consul-General to Shanghai, saying they had the green light to "co-organise" the trip. Yang then emailed his itinerary to National staff and it was forwarded to Hope and Robinson. National announced in August that Yang would accompany Bridges and Brownlee to China, but the party never revealed Yang was organising the trip. Bridges did not respond to a request for comment.

Merry Xmas Scooby...And a Prosperous New Year ... Merry xmas One And All ...

Mer De Glace Constantinople Steel Prince

R1) 4 R2) 3 R3) 1 R4) 1 R5) 10 R6) 2 R7) 1 R8) 8 R9) 10 cheers

R.I.P Ginger .... Up there Playing alongside Keith Moon , John Bonham , Neil Peart , Cozy Powell , Jeff Porcaro , Phil Taylor etc ..

Randwick R7) 2 Avilius cheers

Flemington... Race 8... No.14... Usain Bowler... cheers

The Valley R8) 15 Kenedna

1. Ruakaka R5 Starts 2:19pm : 4,10 2. Rosehill R2 Starts 2:45pm : 7,9 3. Rosehill R3 Starts 3:20pm : 2,11 4. Rosehill R4 Starts 3:55pm : 5,14 ** 5. Hastings R9 Starts 4:20pm : 1,11 6. Caulfield R5 Starts 4.50pm : 3,5 7. Rosehill R6 Starts 5:10pm : 9,10 8. Caulfield R6 Starts 5.30pm : 4,8 9. Caulfield R7 Starts 6.10pm : 6,13 ** 10. Caulfield R8 Starts 6.50pm : 9,11 cheers

Comp R1 : New Plymouth R4 2:14pm : 2,4 Comp R2 : Randwick R2 2:40pm : 3,7 Comp R3 : Randwick R3 3:15pm : 2,3 Comp R4 : Moonee Valley R4 4:05pm : 6,9 Comp R5 : Randwick R5 4:25pm : 2,3 Comp R6 : Randwick R6 5:05pm : 6,7 Comp R7 : Randwick R7 5:45pm : 2,10 Comp R8 : Moonee Valley R7 6:05pm : 1,3 Comp R9 : Randwick R8 6:25pm : 8,11** Comp R10 : Moonee Valley R8 6:45pm : 8,9** cheers

R1 : Te Rapa R3 1:50pm : 1,3 R2 : Randwick R2 2:35pm : 1,5 R3 : Otaki R5 3:19pm : 2,3 R4 : Te Rapa R6 3:35pm : 2,7 R5 : Caulfield R4 4:00pm : 2,6 R6 : Randwick R5 4:20pm : 1,8 R7 : Randwick R6 5:00pm : 11,13 R8 : Caulfield R6 5:20pm : 1,4 R9 : Randwick R7 5:40pm : 3,11 R10 : Randwick R8 6:20pm : 1,3 R11 : Caulfield R8 6:40pm : 1,11 BB R12 : Morphettville R7 6:51pm : 1,2 BB cheers

R1 : Riccarton Park R5 1:45pm : 10,12 R2 : Flemington R2 2:10pm : 2,7 R3 : Pukekohe Park R6 2:39pm : 3,8 R4 : Riccarton Park R7 2:57pm : 1,7 R5 : Rosehill R4 3:40pm : 1,4 ** R6 : Flemington R5 3:55pm : 9,14 R7 : Flemington R6 4:35pm : 4,10 ** R8 : Doomben R7 5:07pm : 3,14 R9 : Rosehill R7 5:35pm : 3,6 R10 : Flemington R8 5:55pm : 4,7 R11 : Rosehill R8 6:15pm : 3,9 R12 : Flemington R9 6:35pm : 4,13 R13 : Belmont R6 7:03pm : 9,13 cheers

Comp R1 : Te Rapa R4 1.52pm : 1,2 BB Comp R2 : The Valley R2 2.35pm : 3,6 Comp R3 : Riccarton R8 3.20pm : 9,13 Comp R4 : The Valley R4 3.45pm : 6,7 Comp R5 : Doomben R5 4.17pm : 2,3 Comp R6 : The Valley R6 5.05pm : 1,4 Comp R7 : Randwick R7 5.25pm : 2,8 Comp R8 : Randwick R8 6.05pm : 7,9 Comp R9 : The Valley R8 6.25pm : 11,13 BB Comp R10 : Randwick R9 6.45pm : 2,11 cheers

Comp R1 : Otaki R5 2.59pm : 1,8 Comp R2 : Rotorua R7 3.15pm : 6,10 Comp R3 : Caulfield R4 3.40pm : 2,3 Comp R4 : Caulfield R5 4.20pm : 2,3 Comp R5 : Rosehill R6 4.40pm : 8,10** Comp R6 : Rosehill R7 5.20pm : 6,7** Comp R7 : Caulfield R7 5.40pm : 1,5 Comp R8 : Rosehill R8 6.00pm : 4,8 Comp R9 : Caulfield R8 6.20pm : 2,6 Comp R10 : Caulfield R9 6.55pm : 2,7 cheers

Hey Maria ... Posting Sub`s for comp!! Comp R1 : 2.45pm Randwick R3 : 3,6 Comp R2 : 3.10pm New Plym R6 : 7,11 Comp R3 : 3.35pm Flemington R4 : 3,6 Comp R4 : 3.55pm Randwick R5 : 1,7 Comp R5 : 4.35pm Randwick R6 : 1,5 Comp R6 : 4.55pm Flemington R6 : 3,14 Comp R7 : 5.27pm Eagle Farm R7 : 1,4 Comp R8 : 6.07pm Eagle Farm R8 : 4,7 BB Comp R9 : 6.35pm Randwick R9 : 3,7 BB Comp R10 : 7.20pm Darwin R6 : 2,7 Cheers