The China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) said it would assist with a Canadian government examination prompted by a top employee’s resignation over Chinese Communist Party involvement.
On Wednesday, Canadian-born AIIB global communications chief Bob Pickard resigned. Ottawa froze relations with the bank hours later while investigating the allegations.
The bank said it “welcomes” Ottawa’s review into Pickard’s “baseless” charges and will launch its internal review, overseen by General Counsel Alberto Ninio, into Pickard’s resignation.
“We welcome this review and will be cooperating fully,” vice president Ludger Schuknecht said in a Thursday press release. “Transparency is essential to the trust of our 106 Members, multilateral peers, development partners, community of civil society organizations, and citizens we serve.”
On Thursday, China’s foreign ministry claimed the AIIB recruited and managed workers using “principles of openness, meritocracy and transparency,” while its Canadian embassy termed Pickard’s claims “lies.”
After resigning on Monday, Pickard told Reuters he was advised to escape the country.
Global Affairs Canada told Reuters, “The safety and security of Canadians remains a priority for the Government of Canada.”
The “apolitical” AIIB, founded by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2016, has 106 members, including Canada.
