Chinese billionaire Huang Xiangmo slams ‘lies’ and ‘prejudice’ behind stripping of his Australian residency over political links
- He says political donations were at recipients’ request and Chinese bodies he has chaired supported positions shared by the Australian government
- Australian intelligence ordered residency to be cancelled after finding Huang was ‘amenable to conducting acts of foreign interference’
Chinese property tycoon Huang Xiangmo, whose permanent residency in Australia has been cancelled by officials there, said on Friday that scrutiny of his prolific political donations in Australia and positions at pro-Beijing organisations was “prejudiced and groundless”.
In his first statement since his residency was revoked, Huang proposed that Australian politicians return his donations to instead be given to charity, and argued the organisations he headed were in line with Canberra’s political stances on China.
“It is profoundly disappointing to be treated in such a grotesquely unfair manner,” he said, calling the accusations against him “baseless allegations and sheer lies”.
“The decision of visa cancellation was made based on unfounded speculations that are prejudiced and groundless. This is not the Australia that I believe in – the Australia of freedom, democracy, rule of law and fairness – but I keep my faith in law and justice.”
Huang said he was now living a “peaceful and happy life” in Hong Kong – where he is believed to have permanent residency – and was focusing on his investments in the city and others in Thailand, the United States and Britain.
