All the time. That’s how business is done in foreign countries. If the contract is on the line, you don’t cheap out.
More..
"China's government also uses influence operations designed to advance pro-Chinese policies in the United States and to prevent the U.S. government from taking tough action or adopting policies against Beijing's interests, FBI officials said.
"Rudy Guerin, a senior FBI counterintelligence official in charge of China affairs, said the Chinese aggressively exploit their connections to U.S. corporations doing business in China.
"'They go straight to the companies themselves,' he said.
"Many U.S. firms doing business in China, including such giants as Coca-Cola, Boeing and General Motors, use their lobbyists on behalf of Beijing.
"'We see the Chinese going to these companies to ask them to lobby on their behalf on certain issues,' Mr. Guerin said, 'whether it's most-favored-nation trade status, [World Health Organization], Falun Gong or other matters.'"
[End quotes. My emphasis]
Why doesn't Lucent just say it's refunding leftover expense money from their last lobbying assignment?
Perhaps the fines should have been levied against the company officers who approved the technology transers to China rather than the company.