Chinese energy boss sentenced over $20k bribe hidden in tea gift

An Australian official got the shock of a lifetime when she went to make a cup of tea and found a $20,000 bribe instead.

Chinese renewable energy manager Guoxin Zhu, 40, pleaded guilty before Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday to one count of corruptly give or offer valuable consideration to influence favour in relation to principals affairs or business.

The 40-year-old father has been in custody since late July when he was extradited to Queensland after his arrest at Sydney International Airport, where he was due to fly out of the country.

The court was told Zhu travelled to Australia in July as part of his work as a senior official with the Chinese renewables firm Growatt.

Zhu wished to expedite several of Growatt’s applications for accreditation with Australia’s Clean Energy Council, something the court was told would benefit the company’s commercial standing.

Zhu met with a representative from the council at a cafe in Camp Hill, in Brisbane, where he pleaded for the woman to move Growatt’s applications forward.

The woman advised him she could not, to which Zhu then offered to pay a fee; however, the woman denied him again.

The woman refused, telling Zhu she could not accept gifts, but he insisted the gift was only tea and was not of significant value.

Wanting to respect Chinese customs, the woman accepted the gift but soon after opening found $20,000 nestled alongside the tea bags.

Defence barrister Saul Holt KC, instructed by Mark Williams from Potts Lawyers, advised the court Zhu did not intend to “disrespect Australia” or “Australian culture” with his bribe.

The court was told the renewables manager came from an extremely impoverished upbringing in rural China and supported his elderly parents, children and family back home.

Zhu claimed, in a statement, he did not realise the seriousness of the offence, noting it was a more accepted act in China.

“I committed this offence; I had no idea that this type of conduct was viewed so seriously against the law,” he said.

Magistrate Peter Saggers ordered Zhu to serve 12 months imprisonment and declared 26 days of pre-sentence custody as time served.