The ‘chifagate’ continues to cause a stir. This Friday, the Chinese embassy denied President José Jerí, who – in one of his first versions – had indicated that he met at a chifa in San Borja with the businessman Zhihua Yang to coordinate the preparations for the celebration of Peru-China Friendship Day.
Through its social networks, the Chinese embassy clarified that it worked hand in hand with the Ministry of Culture of Peru to be able to organize this holiday scheduled for Sunday, February 1.. In this way, he destroyed the excuse that the president gave when this scandal was revealed.
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“In 2024, the Congress of Peru approved the law that declares February 1 as the Peruvian-Chinese Fraternity Day. This year, together with the Ministry of Culture of Peru, we celebrate this important day for the second time,” he explained.
Next, the Chinese embassy responded that, as per protocol, a traditional Chinese New Year fair has been organized on the esplanade of the Ministry of Culture, which will be open from 10 in the morning on Sunday, February 1.
This announcement is totally different from the version given, on January 11, by President José Jerí, who indicated that activities were going to be carried out in the Government Palace.
“Several representatives will participate – some already confirmed – and others who will be invited. Something different had to be done and we are working on that logic,” he justified on his X account, formerly Twitter. However, none of that will happen, according to the announcement from the Asian country’s embassy.
Jeri’s Contradictions
After that explanation, the president José Jerí He appeared, in the early morning, in an official video indicating that on December 26, 2025, he met with the Chinese businessman, hooded. Zhihua Yanginvited the Minister of the Interior to dinner, Vicente Tiburcioand his escort “during normal and prudent opening hours” at the premises of “Mr. Johnny”, whom he has known for some time. That is, it changed its version.
But it was not the first time that the businessman met with people close to José Jerí’s Government. Through the visit control system, It was learned that Zhihua Yang registers three formal entries to the Government Palace between December 2025 and January 2026. The appointments appear as work meetings with officials from the communications area of the Presidency.
The first entry occurred on December 12, 2025. That day, Zhihua Yang held a meeting with Mirelia Liz Cano Gutiérrez, member of the Undersecretary of Strategic Communication and Institutional Image.
The second and third visits occurred on December 29, 2025 and January 5, 2026. On both occasions, the Chinese businessman was received by Johanna Ocampo Santos de Velachaga, an official from the Secretariat of Strategic Communication and Press. The meetings were recorded as work meetings during office hours.
Zhihuan Yang and his orders
The Republic has announced that, during the Government of José Jerí, the company Hydroelectric America, whose owner is the Chinese businessman Zhihua Yangrequested the General Directorate of Electricity, of the Ministry of Energy and Mines (Minem), to extend the deadline to begin operations at the Pachachaca 2 station, which should begin on May 1 of this year.
Well, after the scandal, resolved to reject the request to extend the project delivery period Pachachaca 2, in Apurimac.
Responses to the prosecutor
This Friday, the acting prosecutor of the Nation, Tomas Galvezentered the Government Palace to question the president José Jerífor the meetings held with businessmen Chinese Zhihua Yang and Ji Wu Xiaodong. This is within the framework of the preliminary investigation for the alleged crimes of illegal sponsorship of private interests and influence peddling to the detriment of the State.
