Explained: Donald Trump’s US$1.5 billion claims and Hunter Biden’s dealings in China

The president has accused the younger Biden of using his position of influence to secure the financial backing of China for his investments

Trump’s critics say he is president is trying to divert attention from an impeachment inquiry being pursued by Democrats

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US President Donald Trump. Photo: Reuters

Published: 9:24pm, 4 Oct 2019Updated: 7:14am, 17 Oct 2020

US President Donald Trump on Thursday called on China to investigate Joe Biden, a main Democratic contender in the 2020 race for the White House, about the involvement of his son in a fund that sought to raise Chinese capital.

Trump accuses the younger Biden of using his position of influence to secure the financial backing of China for his investments. Trump has not provided evidence to support the accusation and Hunter Biden has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Here are some details about Trump’s allegations:

On what basis is Trump calling for a probe of Hunter Biden?

Trump has alleged that Hunter Biden got China to invest US$1.5 billion in a fund he was involved in soon after accompanying his father on a trip to Beijing in December 2013, when Joe Biden was vice-president.

“When Biden’s son walks out of China with US$1.5 billion in a fund, and the biggest funds in the world cannot get money out of China, and he is there for one quick meeting and he flies in on Air Force Two, I think that is a horrible thing,” Trump said last month.