 By 1931 , ANA was in financial difficulties and Malley travelled to China to take up a position as an aviation adviser to Chiang Kai @-@ shek 's government in Kwangtung . Details of Malley 's exact duties over the next five years — a time of civil war and Japanese infiltration — remain uncertain . He spent some time in Australia on holiday in 1936 , after which he returned to his advisory role in China . On 1 February 1937 , through the influence of the British Foreign Office , Malley 's status was enhanced when he was made an honorary wing commander in the RAAF Reserve . He was by now serving as adviser to Madame Chiang Kai @-@ shek , Soong Mei @-@ ling , in her capacity as secretary @-@ general of the aeronautical commission that directed China 's air force ; May @-@ Ling extended to Malley her " warmest congratulations " for his " well deserved " promotion . One of the tasks she assigned him was investigating corrupt procurement practices in the government . Malley found that the air ministry was being defrauded by foreign agents and Chinese officials colluding to charge inflated prices for military equipment . 
