Beijing through Natural Dairy NZ to run in NZ elections

Crafar player linked to new political party
A fledgling political party associated with the businessman behind a Chinese bid for the Crafar farms plans to field candidates in next year's election.

Auckland businessman Paul Young and former Labour Party list candidate Stephen Ching yesterday confirmed the New Citizens Party had lodged an application for registration with the Electoral Commission.

Mr Young, of Auckland firm Asia Marketing and Advertising Consultants, said he had been helping to organise the party, which was now awaiting approval of its application.

Once that was granted, the party would meet to elect its leadership.

You have to hand it to the Chinese, they are persistent. Not content to bribe the National Party with a $200 000 'donation' or try to buy up our farm land - they want to run a political party in NZ as well.

TV3's 'The Nation' did a story this year claiming there were 250 000 Mandarin only speaking people in NZ, and that the Mandarin newspapers take editorial direction from Beijing, and when you consider their ability to have 4000 people turn up to a pro-china rally on mass at the drop of a hat in 2008, this new extension of the Communist Party of China directly into NZ's political system should have eyes being raised.

Perhaps National see ACT dying and with the Maori Party about to implode after the temper tantrum sacking of Maori Party brain Harry Walker, National need a new solid 6-7% minor Party and are cutting a deal...

Mr Chen, who recently severed his business links with former National Prime Minister Dame Jenny Shipley, was not "a key person or main person" in the party, said Mr Young, and while the Chinese Business Roundtable Council, which Mr Chen founded, was one of its supporting organisations, it was not directly linked.

...I wonder how America will view this expansion by Beijing into what they consider as their sphere of influence as China and the US fight to see who will be the next Super Power.

China want to use us as a test case for their lowest cost capitalism, but what do we lose in such a deal?

Is it time for a symbolic US ship visit?