Shanghai Electric Power – which owns a 33% stake in Enemalta – said on Tuesday it was not aware or party to any illegal activity.
It also said it adheres to a number of principles, including that of “zero-tolerance to corruption.
The statement comes after it was revealed on Monday that Chinese national Chen Cheng is the person behind Macbridge – a company that is suspected of being set up to pay kickbacks to Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi.
A joint Times of Malta and Reuters investigation found that Macbridge International Development is owned by Tang Zhaomin, Chen Cheng’s mother-in-law.
“Shanghai Electric Power (Malta) (SEPM) reaffirms its adherence to the principles of honesty, transparency and fairness in its relationships with all stakeholders. These principles include zero-tolerance to corruption,” a spokesperson for the company said.
Chen Cheng is seen shaking hands with Konrad Mizzi in this file photo (left of picture).
“SEPM reiterates that Mr Chen Cheng is not, and never has been, an employee of Shanghai Electric Power or Shanghai Electric Power (Malta). SEPM also wishes to make it categorically clear it was not aware of, or party to, any of the alleged illegal activity which has been reported.”
The company said it is “committed to provide the fullest support possible to investigative authorities in any jurisdiction.”
Macbridge was named as one of the two companies set up to pay the equivalent of some €5,000 per day into secret offshore Panama companies which were owned by the OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri and then Energy Minister Konrad Mizzi.
The second company was called 17 Black, which was based in Dubai and owned by businessman and Electrogas shareholder - and the man currently accused of masterminding the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia – Yorgen Fenech.
Cheng Chen was a consultant with a firm called Accenture, and he played a key role in a €320 million deal which saw Chinese state-owned company Shanghai Electric Power buy a third of Enemalta in 2014.