The Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Economic Services said this evening that Sai Mizzi-Liang (the energy minister's wife) was active in seeking investment for Malta in the past year, but her office in Shanghai has not opened to the public yet.

Reacting to comments in a section of the media, the ministries said Mrs Mizzi-Liang was was appointed Consul-General for Malta in Shanghai last year.

Following approval by the Chinese authorities, the process to establish an office was started. Talks to identify a place and to get the necessary permits took several months, but Mrs Mizzi-Liang performed her duties as necessary, the ministries said.

The consulate has not started to process visa applications yet since the office is still being set up and equipped in terms of Shenghen requirements.

The work is in an advanced stage and the office will open for the public in the near future.

In a reaction, the Nationalist Party said it was ironic that on the eve of Workers' Day, the government had come out in defence of Mrs Mizzi-Liang, who has so far been paid €275,000 from taxpayers' money 'for nothing'.

"No one knows what she has done, no one knows where her office is, no one knows where she is," the PN said.

What workers were certain of was that while the energy minister's wife was being paid from their taxes, they had been given an increase of just 58c a week.