October 24, 2016 2:00pm by David Farrar

But Labour said he would be killed if he went to China?

Controversial Auckland businessman William Yan is understood to be heading back to China to speak with authorities.

Just under what circumstances he’s going, remain shrouded in mystery. Yan has been branded an economic fugitive by his own country, and China allege he embezzled hundreds of millions of dollars before fleeing to New Zealand.

Concerns over his safety should he return to China – including arrest, imprisonment, execution and organ harvesting – formed the basis for then Associate Immigration Minister Shane Jones to grant him New Zealand citizenship in 2008.

It seems those concerns are no longer an issue, as Yan is travelling to China in the coming weeks to be interviewed by Chinese authorities.

But Shane Jones and Labour said they granted him citizenship against strong advice against because they were convinced he would be killed if he went to China. They said it had nothing to do with his donations to Labour and Labour MPs, but all about it being unsafe for him to be returned to China.