The government has confirmed that Sai Mizzi is still in her post as Shanghai business envoy.
The news was first revealed yesterday by blogger Daphne Caruana Galia while Mrs Mizzi's husband, minister Konrad Mizzi, deflected questions.
In a statement this morning, the Economic Affairs Ministry said that in August it had already been declared that Mrs Mizzi had stayed on as representative of Malta Enterprise after her contract expired and until an ideal replacement was found.
This period could not exceed six months after the expiry of her contract.
A call for applications was made and several people applied. A process for the appointment of another person as special representative to China is under way.
In November last year Times of Malta reported that Sai Mizzi Liang’s successor as Malta’s business envoy in China was to be chosen through a public call but the selected candidate would not necessarily get the same €13,000 monthly package.
A Malta Enterprise spokeswoman told this newspaper the grade or position of the new representative of the State investment arm in China would depend on the candidate’s “qualifications and experience”.
Appointed a few months after Labour was elected to power in 2013, Ms Mizzi Liang’s position had immediately raised questions not only due to her remuneration package but also because she was the wife of then energy minister Konrad Mizzi.
In February last year Mr Mizzi had announced that his wife would not seek another term as special envoy.
In an unprecedented move, her employment conditions were pegged to those of an ambassador even though Malta already had an accredited diplomat in China.
Throughout her three-year tenure, the government faced a barrage of criticism from the Opposition, which claimed that her appointment defeated pre-election meritocracy pledge.
In February last year Mr Mizzi had announced that his wife would not seek another term as special envoy.
According to the job description issued by Malta Enterprise, its Shanghai-based representative would be expected to identify development opportunities, target potential investors, facilitate commercial ties and support Malta’s diplomatic representatives in the region.