Spotty record for Chinese executive Wang Jing with Nicaragua canal dream

When President Daniel Ortega granted a Chinese telecommunications executive exclusive rights to develop a US$40 billion canal through Nicaragua and operate it for 100 years, his administration touted the CEO’s record of success heading a wireless communications firm with projects in 20 countries.

Wang Jing’s company, Xinwei, boasted that it had orchestrated an array of deals worth more than US$5 billion over the last three years, in places as far-flung as Cameroon, Zimbabwe and Ukraine. Its own literature describes the company as possessing “huge strength and sublime eminence in the global communications industry.”

But an examination of those claims around the world paints a different picture. While at least some of Xinwei’s domestic enterprises appear to be successful, outside of China, Wang’s company has participated in a series of troubled minor ventures. Promises to build revolutionary new telecom networks have yet to materialize. And deals with local partners have been marred by false starts and poor performance.

In 12 of the 20 countries where Wang’s Xinwei Telecom Enterprise Group and associated companies say they’ve done business, there was no evidence of a successful, large-scale project up and running. Rather:

In Cambodia, a promised high-tech new wireless network has yet to launch nationwide after unexplained delays.

In Zimbabwe, officials say Xinwei’s partner had its licence pulled by regulators and assets seized by a local bank.

In Cameroon, a partner that Xinwei says runs the largest national broadband network is described by the government as smaller than three competitors and under investigation for false performance claims.