01 Investigation
Author: Lao Xianliang
2020-12-23 07:05
Last update date: 2020-12-23 07:05
The U.S. Treasury Department announced in August that it would sanction 11 Chinese and Hong Kong officials who undermined Hong Kong’s autonomy, including Chief Executive Carrie Lam, Commissioner of Police Deng Bingqiang, and Director of Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office Xia Baolong. The list was added to 29.
After the United States announced the sanctions, Deng Bingqiang and Zheng Ruohua both changed their property mortgages. Carrie Lam even publicly admitted that her bank account had been closed and she had to use cash to pay food.
In addition to the above political reasons, there are more than 60 companies or individuals related to Hong Kong on the US sanctions list.
These people and companies on the same list as Lam Cheng are involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking, terrorists, transnational crimes, interference in the US election, violations of Iran and North Korea embargoes, etc. "Hong Kong 01" visited many companies and reviewed US sanctions.
The Hong Kong company "Gaomei Airlines" is one of the sanctioned companies, involving "Iranian economic sanctions" and "specially designated global terrorists." The person in charge refers to the company as a freight forwarder. After the sanctions, the bank account was closed and cash was used. Doing business also refers to not doing anything illegal.
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▼Iran Mahan Airlines▼
Iranian Mahan Airlines accused of supporting armed groups
The Hong Kong company "Gaomei Airlines Co., Ltd." is the freight forwarder of Iran's "Mahan Air" (Mahan Air).
The U.S. Department of the Treasury included Mahan Air on the sanctions list in December 2019, alleging that it provided financial and technical support to the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and assisted Iran’s Hezbollah in the transfer of weapons and personnel. ; And help the Assad regime in Syria, transport soldiers and weapons, and kill civilians.
▼Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Quds Army▼
Hong Kong agents are sanctioned together
Several Mahan Airlines agents have been sanctioned together, including "Gomei Airlines" operating in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.
According to the company registry record, Gaomei Airlines is still on the register. Its registered address is the address of the secretary's company. The director of the company is Zhong Zhiqin. He also serves as "World Travel Co., Ltd.", "International Chinese Business Tourism Association Co., Ltd." and "Hong Kong Youth Leaders Group Co., Ltd. "'S director.
Sanctioned company directors: crimes to be added
The reporter of "Hong Kong 01" approached Zhong Zhiqin. He emphasized that he has never done anything illegal: "This is a crime of wanting to add. If I transport weapons, neither Hong Kong nor the Chinese mainland government can let me export." He believes that the sanctions are political reasons "I do business with companies in some countries, and the United States feels that the companies in these countries are wrong, and it will put my company on the sanctions list."
Mahan Airlines, which has been sanctioned by the United States, operates routes from Tehran to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
(Mahan Airlines website)
After Mahan Airlines was sanctioned by the United States, the routes of the United Kingdom, France, Germany and other European countries have been suspended, but the routes of China have maintained their services, with direct flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
Zhong Zhiqin pointed out that his company acts as a freight forwarder for Mahan Airlines and mainly operates in the mainland. "I don't want to say where too much cargo is shipped, not only to Iran, but also to other places via Iran."
Iran has been sanctioned by the United States and embargoed arms.
(Reuters)
Bank accounts are closed business by cash transactions
The biggest impact of the US sanctions is the closure of Hong Kong bank accounts. Zhong Zhiqin said frankly that Hong Kong banks are afraid to deal with them. "The banks we have been using are not available. Banks dare not directly say that because of this reason, some accounts are frozen. It was only a week before I said that I would not be allowed to open an account. Some of our questions were answered without reply, but the account was eventually closed."
After the bank account was closed, Gaomei Air’s business relied entirely on cash transactions. The reporter asked how to carry a large amount of cash in and out of the country. Zhong Zhiqin was reluctant to talk about it, saying that the business was under the influence of sanctions. A business."
Unlike Carrie Lam and other officials who were sanctioned in their personal capacity, the US sanctions on Gaomei Airlines remained at the company level, and there were no sanctions on Zhong Zhiqin himself and his other companies. Zhong Zhiqin said his personal account and other businesses were not affected.
There were signs before the Hong Kong company "Gaomei Airlines" was sanctioned by the United States, and the US Consulate General in Hong Kong had investigated.
(Information Picture / Photo by Zhang Haowei)
Investigated by the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong before sanctions
Before Gaomei Airlines was sanctioned, there were already signs. Zhong Zhiqin said: "The US Consulate in Hong Kong and the US Embassy in Beijing have investigated us and asked what kind of business the company does. There are signs of sanctions."
After being sanctioned, Zhong Zhiqin discussed an appeal with a team of lawyers, but he believed that the sanctions were political reasons and the appeal was a waste of words and time.
▼List of 15 Chinese and Hong Kong officials sanctioned by the United States in August and November and reasons▼
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▼In December, the United States sanctions all 14 vice chairmen of the National People's Congress▼
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