China's Tongkang yard boss goes missing, staff salaries unpaid

Wei Chunding, boss of the Jingjiang-based privately-owned shipyard, has reportedly fled to avoid repaying the staff remuneration.

It was reported that the company owed salaries of 39 staff amounting to RMB725,730 ($114,100) between the period from 2014 to July 2015.

The affected employees have sought help from the local authorities in a bid to claw back their salaries.

Established in March 2001, Tongkang built mainly chemical and oil tankers below 20,000 dwt, dry bulk carriers, container vessels and tugboats.

Recently, Tongkang was selected by Jiangsu province’s Department of Transportation as the appointed shipyard to build LNG-fuelled vessels.