Hunter Biden collected $664,000 from the Chinese energy company CEFC, which has ties to the Chinese Communist Party, this is according to the official transcript of the president's son's deposition in court on Wednesday. This data disproves the Administration leader's strong assertions that his son "has not made money" from China.
The staunch defense of Hunter's business dealings has not been a one-off by the current occupant of the White House, who has always denied that his family has had ties to the communist regime in Beijing. Back in 2020, during a presidential debate, Biden spat back at Donald Trump that the information, published by The New York Post, was false: "My son has not made money in terms of this thing about – what are you talking about – China." Last March the president again denied family business ties to China when questioned about the alleged $1 million shipment by Hunter's business partner to three members of the Biden clan. "That's not true," he replied.
Joe Biden said during the second debate that Hunter had never made money in China and that the NY Post story was Russian disinformation.
His campaign surrogates also repeated the Russian disinformation lie in the lead up to that debate.
Do any journalists care? pic.twitter.com/fw3Y04qDY9
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) December 11, 2020
Biden earned more than two million with Burisma and China
However, according to the transcript, Hunter received money from the Asian country in 2017, along with other prominent payments from Ukrainian, Romanian, multinational and domestic companies that collectively exceeded $2 million.
During calendar year 2017, Biden earned substantial income, including: just under $1 million from a company he formed with the CEO of a Chinese business conglomerate; $666,666 from his domestic business interests; approximately $664,000 from a Chinese infrastructure investment company; $500,000 in director's fees from a Ukrainian energy company; $70,000 relating to a Romanian business; and $48,000 from the multi-national law firm.
CEFC, linked to the Chinese Communist Party
During subsequent questioning, Hunter explained that he created the Hudson Valley company together with Yi Jianming, CEO of CEFC, to conduct lucrative business with the Chinese Communist Party-linked company.
THE COURT: All right. The fourth paragraph says during the calendar year 2017, you earned substantial income including just under a million dollars from a company you formed with a CEO of a Chinese business conglomerate.
THE DEFENDANT: I started a company called Hudson West, Your Honor, and my partner was associated with a Chinese energy company called CEFC.
THE COURT: Who was your partner?
THE DEFENDANT: I don't know how to spell his name, Yi Jianming is the chairman of that company.
The association, together with his work for Burisma, was clearly lucrative for the president's offspring, as was proven during the conversation with the judge:
THE COURT: $664,000 from a Chinese infrastructure investment company. Is that one of the companies we've already talked about?
THE DEFENDANT: I believe so, yes, Your Honor.
THE COURT: Which one is that?
THE WITNESS: I believe CEFC.
THE COURT: Okay. $500,000 in director's fees from the Ukrainian energy company. That's the one that you already told me about?
THE DEFENDANT: Same, Burisma.
A resounding "No" to presidential pardon for Hunter
From the White House, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre categorically denied that the president would consider pardoning his son in the event of a conviction.
BREAKING: @whitehouse @PressSec says President @JoeBiden will not pardon his son, Hunter Biden if convicted of tax fraud and probably other crimes. WATCH pic.twitter.com/MKedWodHVe
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) July 27, 2023
