Coronavirus: China promoter Jean Dong trumpets Xi Jinping as ‘global saviour’

Influencer Jean Dong has praised Xi Jinping’s handling of COVID-19, saying everyone could see China was ‘solving’ pandemic.

Jean Dong.

Self-proclaimed government influencer Jean Dong has praised China’s handling of the corona­virus, saying everyone could see the Asian superpower was ­“solving” the global pandemic.

The pro-China entrepreneur, who lobbied the Victorian government to sign on to the country’s controversial Belt and Road Initiativ­e, also said Chinese President Xi Jinping was “providing confidence and directions for the global fight over the epidemic and economic growth”.

In an interview with the Chin­ese Communist Party’s official newspaper, Guangming Daily, first published on March 27, Ms Dong praised Mr Xi’s “ four-point initiative”, saying it was obvious China had taken the lead in the fight against the coronavirus.

“Now is the global life-and-death moment: which model is feasible and which country is solvin­g the problem?” she said in the Chinese-language interview. “Everyone can see at a glance.”

The Australian can also reveal the Andrews Labor ­government paid Ms Dong’s Melbourne-based Australia-China Belt and Road Initiativ­e almost $36,850 in consultan­cy fees without conducting a tender process.

The news comes as the federal government remains at loggerheads with China over its handling of the pandemic and Scott Morrison’s call for an independent inquiry­ into the ­origins of the virus.

Ms Dong is also quoted in the interview repeating part of Mr Xi’s G20 speech, saying world leaders needed to “foster greater synergy” in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“What the international community needs most is to strengthen confidence, act with unity and work together in a collective respons­e — to comprehensively step up international co-operation and foster greater synergy so that ­humanity as one could win the battle against such a major infectious disease,” she said.

Ms Dong’s role as a high-­profile pro-China influencer has led her to be photographed with the likes of former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, former Tasmania­n Liberal premier Will Hodgman and former Labor foreign­ minister Bob Carr.

She has recruited former federa­l Liberal trade minister Andrew Robb, former Labor finance minister Lindsay Tanner and Elders chief executive Mark Allison to ACBRI’s advisory board.

The Australian has previously revealed that Ms Dong’s company received almost $36,850 in taxpayer funds to advise the Victorian government on the Belt and Road memorandum with Beijing at the same time as it was lobbying the Andrews administration to sign on to the controversial agreement.

A Victorian government spokesperson for the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions confirmed that ACBRI was awarded two taxpayer-funded contracts in 2017-18 and 2019-20 totalling $36,850 — without a tender process­ — to advise on China’s global commercial play.

“The Department of Jobs, Precincts­ and Regions engaged ACBRI to provide advice that would help maximise opportunities for Victorian companies arising from the BRI,” the spokesperson said. “In both instances, the consultan­t was engaged in accordance with department procurement policies.”

The spokesperson said the contract­s fell below the threshold that would have required a tender process under departmental procuremen­t policies.

On Tuesday, ACBRI’s website was down, as was Ms Dong’s LinkedIn profile.

In the Chinese newspaper interview­, Ms Dong said her “Australia­n friends” had closely watched Mr Xi’s speech at the G20 summit on March 26.

“China is the first major country to constrain the epidemic and resume work smoothly, therefore the Australian friends around me paid special attention to President Xi’s speech at the G20 leaders video conference,” she said.