Daniel Andrews staffer Nancy Yang linked to mysterious Chinese investment fund, Arem Pacific Corporation

A Daniel Andrews staffer with Chinese Communist Party links revealed to have key roles with international fund worth tens of millions.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews with long serving staffer Nancy Yang. Picture: Supplied

A Daniel Andrews staffer with Chinese Communist Party links has served as the secretary, director and chief marketing director of a mysterious Chinese international investment fund which last year established a US-listed joint venture worth almost AUD$70m, and owns a massage chain with outlets at almost every major Melbourne shopping centre.

Nancy Yang, who works part time in the Victorian Premier’s Mulgrave electorate office in Melbourne’s southeast was listed in 2015 as holding a 1.8 per cent stake in Arem Pacific Corporation, which floated on the US stock exchange in 2019 as part of a $US50m joint venture.

Nancy Yang.

The Australian is not suggesting any wrongdoing by Ms Yang, or Arem Pacific Corporation.

Ms Yang’s involvement in an international investment fund worth tens of millions of dollars is unusual given her relatively junior part time role in Mr Andrews’ office and that of neighbouring Labor MP Meng Heang Tak. The electorate officer role attracts a full time equivalent salary of approximately $80,000.

Arem Pacific Corporation’s website lists headquarters in Melbourne’s Collins Street, the US city of Scottsdale, Arizona where it was founded in 1990, and Guangzhou, China, where its NASDAQ-listed joint venture launch was held in September 2019.

The website also details the company’s ownership of the Zen Oriental Holistic Health and Green Palm Massage chains, which have outlets at major shopping centres across Melbourne including Chadstone, Melbourne Central, Victoria Gardens, Eastland, Northland and Highpoint, many of which demand cash only payment for services.

A document filed with the US stock exchange in 2015 lists Ms Yang among five company directors. “Ms Nancy Yang has been our Secretary and a Director since January 2014,” the document reads. “From 2010 to the present, she has been Chief Marketing Director of the Company.

“From 2008 to 2009, she was a Visa and Evidencing Officer for the Chinese Embassy in Melbourne, Australia. She graduated with double Masters in Commerce and Business/Information Technology from RMIT University, Australia. Ms Yang brings to our Board of Directors several years of management, administration and quality control.”

Nancy Yang (right) with Labor’s Federal Opposition Deputy Leader Richard Marles.

Nancy Yang with former Labor Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

The Australian has previously revealed Ms Yang’s posting in March of articles on social media suggesting coronavirus was created by the US and taken to China by the US Army, as well as her role as founder and chair for a decade of the CCP United Front-linked Melbourne Chinese Youth United Association, during which she helped to mobilise thousands of Chinese who travelled to Canberra to participate in an at-times violent counter-protest against human rights campaigners at the Olympic Torch relay in 2008.

The other five directors of the company include Chinese-born, Melbourne-based medical doctor Thomas Tang, who is CEO and president, chairman Rocco Scarpari, who is described as owning a small vineyard and orchard near Shepparton in northern Victoria, chief financial officer Allan Qiu who the document says was also CFO of “affiliated Australian company” Arem Marketing Corp, and Shandong University-educated Xin Jin, who as company vice president is described as being responsible for managing the company’s “physiotherapy wellness business”.

“We take pride in building long-term relationships with our clients,” the company’s website boasts. “Our stock is currently held by more than 500 shareholders. Besides its current physiotherapy & health chained outlets in Australia, Arem keeps expanding its business into profitable areas.” Neither Ms Yang nor Arem Pacific Corporation responded to requests for comment.