Lima –
A scandal surrounding undisclosed meetings with a Chinese businessman by Peru’s acting president has shone an unflattering spotlight on the key copper exporter’s ties to China at a moment of heightened U.S. scrutiny of Beijing’s footprint in the region.
Jose Jeri, who took office in October after the removal of former President Dina Boluarte, has denied any wrongdoing in the three meetings he acknowledged holding between December and January with businessman Zhihua Yang.
The businessman owns Chinese import shops and holds a concession for an energy project. He has also previously been named in congressional investigations as allegedly providing logistical support to Chinese firms suspected of corruption.
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