Newly surfaced photographs reveal President Joe Biden, during his term as Vice President, together with his son Hunter Biden's Chinese business associates.
According to Fox News, This release raises questions about Biden's previous statements regarding his non-involvement with his son's business endeavors in China.
The conservative group America First Legal obtained the photographs through litigation against the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). These images depict then-Vice President Biden introducing Hunter to influential Chinese figures, including Xi Jinping and Li Yuanchao, and posing with executives from BHR Partners, a Chinese equity fund linked to Hunter.
The photos show meetings that took place in China, where President Biden posed for photographs with BHR Partners' executives Jonathan Li and Ming Xue. America First Legal claims these interactions highlight Hunter’s deep connections with significant Chinese business interests and suggest an overlap with Joe Biden's political influence.
America First Legal uses these images as corroborative evidence to support allegations that the Biden family may have unduly benefited from their ties to BHR. Additionally, these revelations emerge at a contentious time, as President Biden recently granted Hunter Biden a broad pardon for potential offenses dating back to 2014, adding complexity to the ongoing scrutiny.
The House Oversight Committee previously implicated Hunter in facilitating these meetings to grant BHR executives preferential access to U.S. political influence, leveraging his father's position. America First Legal asserted, "These photos corroborate the House Oversight Committee’s investigative findings that Hunter Biden arranged for his father to meet with Jonathan Li and other BHR executives during the 2013 China trip."
During this trip, Hunter allegedly ensured that BHR executives, particularly Jonathan Li, gained preferred access to then-U.S. Ambassador to China Max Baucus, which was critical for finalizing the terms of their business dealings. This arrangement directly linked the Biden family's business ventures with Joe Biden's high-ranking political role at the time.
Email exchanges have surfaced over the years, shedding light on Hunter's involvement in arranging meetings and communications with various Chinese officials and business entities, including executives from a now-bankrupt Chinese energy company. This suggests a pattern of business engagements that may extend beyond what has publicly been acknowledged by the Biden family.
In defense of the interactions, Hunter Biden testified that he introduced his father to Jonathan Li, yet he maintained that he did not disclose Li's identity or business intentions. Similarly, Joe Biden has affirmed multiple times, including a notable statement in 2019, that he has "never spoken to my son about his overseas business dealings."
Further complicating the issue, Devon Archer, Hunter's former business partner, testified about Joe Biden's involvement, claiming the elder Biden participated in discussions via phone calls with business partners, potentially contradicting his public statements.
The recent presidential pardon, as outlined by Joe Biden, was introduced as a measure to shield his son from what he perceives as "unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution." Joe Biden emphasized Hunter's struggles and sobriety as factors in his decision. This action, however, has fueled further debates over the appropriateness and timing of such pardons, given the surfacing evidence and ongoing investigations.
In response to these developments, America First Legal Counsel Michael Ding has vowed to continue their pursuit: "America First Legal will not stop fighting to uncover the full story of the Biden Family’s corruption," emphasizing the organization's commitment to probing deeper into the allegations.
The intersection of business and politics, as delineated by this case, continues to stir significant public and political debate, reflecting the persisting concerns over the ethical boundaries between personal business ventures and public service. With America First Legal's ongoing efforts and the legal and political ramifications surrounding the revealed photographs, the implications for both Hunter and Joe Biden could be substantial and long-lasting.
