DID YOU hear the one about Shanghai Bill and Chairman Bert? You wouldn’t have heard without the investigative powers of Suzie Byrne, who runs the Maman Poulet blog and keeps people up to date with the worldwide wanderings of Bertie Ahern.

People were asking where he was when he didn’t turn up for Michael D’s recent inauguration. As a former taoiseach, the Bert is a member of the Council of State and therefore an automatic name on the guest list.

But our auld China couldn’t be in Dublin Castle because he was in Shanghai attending the Huatuo forum of chief executives, which was addressed by a line-up of retired political leaders formerly known as American president (Bill Clinton), mayor of New York (Rudi Giuliani), Australian prime minister (John Howard) and taoiseach (Bertie Ahern).

Our own Paul Cullen rows in with some more information and tells us this is Bertie’s fourth trip to China this year. According to the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs, he was previously there in March, April and July.

The former taoiseach has also travelled to Nigeria on a number of occasions to share his insights into Ireland’s economic fortunes. These were organised through the Washington Speakers’ Bureau which lists fees for “the honourable Bertie Ahern” at €27,500 for each appearance.

But back to his recent mission to Shanghai. He is quoted in the China Economic Timesas saying the debt crisis in Europe has evolved into a political crisis and a very serious situation.

He said it would be useful if China helped Europe out of its debt crisis and expressed a belief the euro will “weather the storm”. Expect a run on the currency next week.