Mizzi Liang’s replacement found: Jennifer Shen May is Malta's new trade envoy to Asia

Chinese national who’s been working in Malta for 20 years will be replacing Sai Mizzi Liang as Malta Enterprise representative to Asia

Sai Mizzi Liang
Sai Mizzi Liang

The Ministry for the Economy has announced the appointment of Jennifer Shen May, who will be replacing Sai Mizzi Liang as Malta Enterprise’s representative to Shanghai.

In a statement, the ministry thanked Mizzi Liang - who has been Malta’s special envoy to Asia since August 2013 - for her work.

Shen May, a Chinese national, is a qualified accountant who has been working in Malta for more than 20 years. The ministry said Shen May is knowledgeable in Malta’s business dynamics. 

“She speaks English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, fluently. Her main responsibility will be to target and attract potential foreign investment from China,” the Economy Ministry said.

Mizzi Liang has been under fire since her first appointment, due to her being OPM Minister Konrad Mizzi’s wife. Her contract expired in August 2016.

In 2014, Mizzi Liang was made diplomatic envoy but, by the termination of her contract, Foreign Minister George Vella appointed a new consul general in Shanghai, Ruth Farrugia. Farrugia was formerly a consul general in Toronto, Canada.

Work done by Sai Mizzi Liang

Earlier this month, MaltaToday requested details on the work carried out by Mizzi Liang, who earned €13,000 a month, including various perks and allowance.

The list of Mizzi Liang’s milestones included a ‘medium-term’ government plan with China signed by both countries’ PMs; bringing Huawei to Smart City; establishing contacts for a logistics centre; exploring collaborations on financial services and investment funds; promoting tourism in China; seeking Chinese partners for the Malta Stock Exchange; meeting manufacturing operators who are interested in Malta; bringing Jiangsu health authorities to expand the Maltese Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Centre to target medical tourism; and other consul operations.