A big concern about the Donald Trump administration is that his refusal to divest himself from his international resort/real estate business creates a vast number of opportunities for foreign entities to bribe him and/or for him to set U.S. policy in ways that benefit him personally. Eyebrows were raised, for example, when Trump backed off his support for Taiwanese autonomy just days before the Chinese government approved his company’s right to use a particular trademark. For what it’s worth, the approval seems to have been in the works since well before Trump signaled his support for the concept of One China, but the potential obviously still exists for POTUS to win favorable treatment for future Trump Organization China business by pursuing policies that the Chinese government approves of. And on that note, here’s a fun story from Mother Jones about a Chinese-business-world power broker buying an apartment from Trump for $15.8 million:
New York City property records show that Xiao Yan Chen, the founder and managing director of a business consulting firm called Global Alliance Associates, purchased the four-bedroom, six-bathroom condo in Trump’s Park Avenue high-rise on February 21 …
Chen, who also goes by Angela Chen, did not return multiple calls and emails requesting comment. Her company bills itself as a “boutique business relationship consultancy” for US firms seeking to do business in China. “For a select clientele,” the firm says that it “facilitates the right strategic relationships with the most prominent public and private decision makers in China. … As counselors in consummating the right relationships—quite simply—we provide access,” the company’s website claims.
This concept barely computes, right? The idea that the president—the current president, of America—just sold someone an apartment? But it’s true: Trump is the owner of Trump Park Avenue LLC, which is the seller of record in this transaction. Angela Chen, an avowed conduit of influence between United States investors and the Chinese government, just paid the president of the United States $15.8 million.
