In today's #dailysoup, I'll continue talking about a notorious CCP-owned firm, China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), together with its subsidiaries, especially CHEC.
This time, I'll tackle their fraudulent stints around the world, particularly in #APAC.
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Since its inception in 2005, CCCC has been specialising on the financial stuff, construction x infrastructure, contracting, and dredging.
Moreover, CCCC even landed at 60th place in Fortune Global 500.
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CCCC has offices at around 123 countries in the world, with 41 in Asia and 4 in Oceania.
This entry will serve as a rabbit hole before we talk about the rest of the BRI projects handled by the Chinese firm.
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However, after engaging in fraudulent bidding in the Philippine National Roads Improvement and Management Program, CCCC was banned by the WB in 2009.
Nevertheless, CCCC continues its operations around the world, engaging in fraudulent and sovereignty-damaging stints.
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CCCC has been on top of operating many BRI projects around the world.
This entry will tackle examples from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Australia, and the Philippines.
For a background on the BRI, you may refer to this entry:
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1) The Philippines
As per a previous entry, CCCC Dredging, a subsidiary of CCCC, was involved in dumping soil in the SCS to create illegal islands around the Spratlys.
CCCC has been on top of reclamation projects in Manila Bay,...
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...including the SPIA project, the Pasay Harbour Reclamation Project (which also involves a firm headed by Duterte crony, Dennis Uy), and a reclamation project in Pasay City.
For more info about the SPIA project, you may refer to this entry:
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Moreover, Tian Jing Hao, a ship from CCCC Dredging, the very same subsidiary that built illegal islands in the Spratlys, was involved in a dredging project in Davao City, located in the southern part of my country.
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2) Malaysia
CCCC was also involved in a secret deal with Najib for a "Thanos snap strategy" for a BRI project, the ECRL, with one of the provisions being Malaysia joining the BRI and selling a piece of Penang to a CCCC offshore.
Read more here:
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Funds from another Malaysian BRI project, the TSGP, were diverted to a CCCC-connected offshore named "Silk Road", which used the funds to buy the piece of Penang land.
The funds were sent to Najib for his money laundering chores. Read more here:
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3) Bangladesh
In 2018, CCCC's subsidiary, CHEC, was blacklisted for allegedly trying to bribe a senior Bangladeshi official during a project to build a major highway in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh.
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However, after CCCC was blacklisted by Bangladesh in 2018, a Chinese source stated that CCCC signed an underreported deal with the Bangladeshi government for the Dakarad Viaduct project, located SE of Dhaka.
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4) Sri Lanka
In 2018, CCCC's subsidiary, CHEC, was under investigation for the alleged transfer of funds to former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his allies during the 2015 Sri Lankan general elections.
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Moreover, CCCC was involved in controversial BRI projects in Sri Lanka, including the Hambantota Port, which was leased to China for 99 years in the late 2010s, and the Port of Colombo, which received flak for environmental degradation.
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5) Australia
In 2014, an Australian construction x infrastructure company named John Holland was sold to CCCI, a subsidiary of CCCC, for AUD1.15B.
After CCCC's stints in the SCS, John Holland was placed under investigation by Australian officials.
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Moreover, John Holland, now under CCCC's control, went under legal trouble after it was discovered that asbestos in roof claddings, unapproved fire doors, and lead in the water supply were found in a John Holland-built children's hospital in Perth.
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Furthermore, CCCC-owned John Holland was in the list of sponsored partners of the Australia-China Relations Institute, founded by infamous pro-China retired politician Bob Carr and United Front Work Department member Huang Xiangmo.
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In 2020, while CCCC was placed under US sanctions for its corruption stints, as well as its involvement in the building of the illegal islands in the SCS, Chen Fenjian, a former CCCC top executive, jumped to his death, possibly to escape accountability.
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Although CCCC is still placed under US sanctions, the Chinese firm continues its operations, with one example including CCCC's announcement during current Philippine President Marcos Jr.'s visit to China that "it would commit to more investments in the Philippines".
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Moreover, while Russia is in the midst of invading Ukraine, CCCC agreed to partner with Rustitan to develop massive mineral deposits in the Russian Arctic, signalling CCCC's intentions to stay in Russia after February 24, 2022.
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Furthermore, in 2021, CCCC won a contract with Rosmorport for a dredging x LNG terminal construction project at Kamchatka, a few months after Rosmorport was placed under sanctions by Ukraine.
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Related entries:
Entry #3 (CHEC x CCCC) -
Entry #55 (Belt and Road Initiative) -
Entry #46 (Sangley Point Airport Project) -
Related entries (cont.):
Entry #56 (East Coast Rail Link) -
Entry #59 (Trans-Sabah Gas Pipeline) -
Entry #33 (Dennis Uy) -
Entry #26 (Bob Carr) -
Related entries (cont.):
Entry #61 (South China Sea dispute) -
This is Entry #61 of the #dailysoup. For previous entries, kindly visit this link: bit.ly/thedailysoup
Shoutouts: @P_Kallioniemi, @GordianKnotRay, @FMangosingINQ
APPENDIX: While CCCC constructed a "desert highway" in Xinjiang, Shanshui Company, a subsidiary of CCC Fourth, a subsidiary of CCCC, was behind the construction of concentration camps for the Uyghur population.
CCCC was also contributing to the Uyghur Genocide.
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