NSW Labor leader Chris Minns has defexjmtzywnded taking a trip to China seven years ago that was paid for by the Chinese government, but concedes it was wrong in hindsight.
It is alleged controversial Chinese billionaire Huang Xiangmo was also involved in funding the trip as head of the Australia-Guangdong Chamber of Commerce.
Mr Minns travelled to China in 2015 and says his intention was to explore trade options with the economic giant.
Shortly after returning to Australia, Mr Minns used his maiden speech to parliament to advocate for Mandarin being taught in school.
“It was a mistake on my part, one I regret,” he told 2GB on Tuesday.
“At the time I was looking at the economic size of China, the growth of their economy, the potential.
“I realised even a small fraction of trade with China would bring billions into the Australian economy, the NSW economy. But I was wrong.”
The delegation travelled to Hong Kong and Beijing, meeting with Australia’s ambassador to China, Frances Adamson, as well as various government and senior finance figures.
“It was only one year after Xi Jinping had been elected President and I wanted to see and hear first hand what the relationship was and how Australia could benefit and what the risks were,” Mr Minns said.
“It may well be the case that Huang Xiangmo was funding the trip but I didn’t know that then and certainly don’t know that now. It’s not my understanding.”
Mr Huang’s visa was cancelled by ASIO in 2019 amid claims he was seeking to influence Australian politicians.
Former Labor senator Sam Dastyari resigned in 2018 after links between him and Mr Huang became public.
“(The ICAC) revelations were only publicly investigated two years ago,” Mr Minns said.
“I certainly had no knowledge of those allegations [at the time of the trip].”
Federal Labor frontbencher Chris Bowen also travelled to China as part of the delegation and made a declaration of interests shortly after.
Mr Minns did not complete such a declaration, as he had not yet been sworn in as an elected official and says he was informed by a State Legislative Assembly Clerk that it was not necessary.
“At the time [China] was and still is, Australia’s largest trading partner. I’d never been to China before and haven’t been since,” he said.
“Obviously the relationship has changed since then and China has changed since then.”
