Tvind in China

[Tvind in China]     [Yunnan Institute of Development]     [IEC]

[main Berlingske Tidende article]

Berlingske Tidende, Denmark, 26th March 2000

By Christian Jensen and Michael Bjerre

While the Ministry of Education has removed Tvinds government funding in Denmark, a fund controlled by the Ministry of Development is preparing to invest millions into a furniture plant in China that is controlled by Tvind.   The factory supplies furniture to IKEA and is part of a business conglomerate that employs 320 people.

Shangai

Completely unknowingly, Denmark is well on the way to make a million-kroner investment into a trade conglomerate in China that is controlled by Tvinds financial elite.

Along with the furniture production, which takes place in a factory designed by (the well-known Danish architect) Jan Utzon, and which is situated behind a gate guarded by Chinese security personnel dressed in black, the conglomerate also includes a computer company, shipping (interests?), lumber imports and a an exclusive 14-store furniture retail chain. 

A fund under the direction of the Minister of Development, Jan Trjborg (Social Democrats) is currently [March 2000] carrying out the final negotiations regarding a loan that will amount to millions of DKK, to be spent on expanding the factorys production infrastructure. 

This is taking place in spite of the fact that parliament has toughened certain laws in order to remove government funding from Tvind schools in Denmark, because the (MPs regarded) Tvind as a conglomerate that has misspent the government funding which it has received. 

Chairman Sven Riskr from The Fund for the Industrialisation of The Developing Countries (IFU) confirms that the loan is indeed due to be taken out quite soon. When presented with Berlingske on Sundays information about the conglomerates connection to Tvind, Sven Riskr says:

We do not want to (delay) the investment but we are now going to investigate the company once again. I would like to make it clear that we have already carried out investigations and we havent come across
any material that is either illegal or that could give cause for concern. Sven Riskr furthermore says that the new investigation will start tomorrow.

Today, Berlingske on Sunday reveals how Tvind controls the Chinese conglomerate by way of its tax shelter on the Isle of Man.

The conglomerates holding company, Trayton Holdings Ltd was incorporated in 1995 with two of Tvinds financial leaders, Christie Pipps and Niels Peter Holst as heads.

This can be seen on a document from the international credit information bureau, Dun and Bradstreet.

Christie Pipps and Niels Peter Holst are described by Tvind sources as two of disappeared Tvind leader Mogens Amdi Petersens safest cards.

Niels Peter Holst is Tvinds head bookkeeper and he has been in charge of central accounting among the Tvind schools. 

Christie Pipps is one of Tvinds international business leaders. Through a document obtained from the national registry, Berlingske on Sunday is able to prove that Christie Pipps is identical with long-time TG member, Kirsten Fuglsbjerg. According to several Tvind sources she changed her name in order to camouflage the connection with Tvind.

Furthermore, Christie Pipps has been head of the Tvind-owned Argyll Smith Co that along with other things also owns Tvinds schools in England. 

These schools were closed by British authorities in 1998 after clear indications that Argyll Smith was funnelling government education subsidies abroad by way of Jersey. 

The Chinese trading conglomerate has (some) known Tvind members occupying important positions within it.   Kim Hansen, Tvinds computer expert leads the IT division and Tvind bookkeeper Lissie Schmidt does the
accounting for several of (the conglomerates) companies. 

The conglomerates president is Tomas Lichtenberg, a 33 year-old Dane, that according to Tvind sources is a member of the Teachers Group.

During an interview with Berlingske on Sunday, Simon Lichtenberg denies that his companies with their 320 employees are part of the Tvind network.

My business has nothing to do with Tvind, he claims.

Christopher Bo Bramsen, Denmarks ambassador to China has participated in several inauguration ceremonies for the companies that Simon Lichtenberg controls in China.

He is surprised over the conglomerates association with Tvind, but he believes that he has done everything in good faith. I have to live with fact
that I will be presented as slightly naive because I rushed out and cut ribbons for (a company) that (did not turn out to be) what it claimed to be, says Christopher Bo Bramsen. 
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COVERSTORY

Berlingske Tidende sndag
26.03.2000. 2. sektion, Kultur , side 5  

main Berlingske Tidende article