AUSTRALIA will send its ambassador to the trial of businessman James Peng Jiandong in Shenzhen on Thursday, Canberra's Foreign Ministry says.
Accompanied by other consular staff, Ambassador Mike Lightowler is to travel to Shenzhen for Peng's trial, Paul Molloy, spokesman of the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said yesterday.
Quoting Chinese officials, Australian Trade Minister Bob McMullan said last week that a verdict would be handed down on Thursday by the Shenzhen People's Intermediate Court.
Peng, the former boss of Shenzhen Champaign Industrial, now Shenzhen Fountain, is under detention on charges of embezzling company money.
A Chinese newspaper yesterday reported that Peng would be given a 17-year sentence. It also claimed Australia had been informed of the verdict.
But Mr Molloy denied that Australia had any knowledge of the sentence.
'It is wrong to say we have been informed,' he said.
