Government acquires €2 million Shanghai property

The Maltese government has acquired a new property in Shanghai, the largest city in China, making it Malta’s second presence in the People’s Republic.

MaltaToday has learnt that the acquisition was made on behalf of the ministry for foreign affairs, with the Shanghai Hui Jing Real Estate Development Co. Ltd.

The price for the property is 13,339,200 RMB – or €2.01 million.

This newspaper is informed that the property has an area of 238 square metres, having sold at the princely sum of €8,445 per square metre.

The property will likely be used for a consular presence in Shanghai, which is also the base for Sai Mizzi Liang – wife of energy minister Konrad Mizzi – who was appointed as a trade envoy for Malta Enterprise back in 2013.

Although Sai Mizzi does not fall within the remit of the foreign ministry, foreign affairs minister George Vella had said in 2014 that a new Maltese consulate would be opened in Shanghai.

The Prime Minister’s Office has taken pride in its choice of Sai Mizzi for trade envoy, despite opening it up to accusations of nepotism by appointing a minister’s wife so soon after the 2013 election.

“The Labour government did in a year what no other Nationalist administration did in 25 years of relations with China,” the government said in 2014. “We want our ambassadors and envoys building relations with governments as well as with entrepreneurs. The job is not just about diplomacy, but also about attracting investment.”

Sai Mizzi’s role as trade envoy has been shrouded in secrecy, with the Labour government having been initially reticent in disclosing details of her contract and salary.

Details of her salary were only made public in July 2014, when she appeared by the side of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat during his visit to China.

And an appeals board is yet to decide on MaltaToday’s freedom of information request for the contract and CV of both Sai Mizzi and Shiv Nair, the latter another trade envoy appointed by Malta Enterprise without any public call.

Together with a salary of more than €73,000 a year, more than half of which is non-taxable, Sai Mizzi also receives a representation allowance of €3,261 a year; a child allowance of almost €3,000 a year; a fully paid residence; an official car with fully paid expenses and fuel; and the full reimbursement of the use of her mobile phone.

She is also entitled for payment of private schooling for her children – up to €18,783 a year; a 90 per cent reimbursement of medical, dental, and ophthalmic care for all members of her family; a one-time settling-in and outfit allowance; and 15 free flight tickets between Malta and Beijing for all members of her family, 10 of them being business class.

The total amount per year works out at a little less than €160,000. Malta’s ambassador to China in Beijing, Clifford Borg Marks, is paid a €34,000 salary and €40,000 for his posting overseas.

Sai Mizzi’s official job is to promote Asian investment in Malta and Maltese exports to Asia, targeting China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore.

She has dual citizenship and a diplomatic passport. Malta Enterprise officials can be provided with the title of commercial attachés or counsellors, granting them diplomatic immunity.