Prime Minister Joseph Muscat brushed off concerns about the World Bank blacklisting of the Chinese state enterprise which will carry out a feasibility study on a Malta-Gozo bridge, stressing that ultimately, the offer came from the Chinese government.

A memorandum of understanding between the China Communication Construction Company and the Maltese government was signed last Friday, and through the agreement, the company will be carrying out a €4 million feasibility study at its own expense. The company itself would be interested in building the bridge, but Dr Muscat has insisted that the deal does not commit Malta to utilising the company’s services.

This week, however, news that the CCCC has been blacklisted by the World Bank until 2017, due to alleged fraudulent practices concerning a road project in the Philippines. But this news does not seem to concern Dr Muscat.

“When the Chinese government offers its biggest company for a free feasibility study, and you also have the comfort of another feasibility study (concerning a Malta-Gozo tunnel), we felt that we should accept the offer,” the prime minister said.

He stressed that the due diligence had to be carried out on the end beneficial owner, which was ultimately the Chinese government itself.

Dr Muscat also noted that there have been wide-ranging discussions with the Chinese government, although he said that it was not his style to announce what these discussions concerned before it was time.

But he added that he felt that the government could partner with another government that was showing a great interest in Malta.