Kínverskar hunangsgildrur

Undanfarnar vikur hefur mikið verið fjallað um samskipti Íslandinga og Kína, eða jafnvel skort þar á.  Hér í Kanada hefur einnig verið fjallað nokkuð um samskipti innlendra og Kínverja, en með öðrum formerkjum þó.

Umfjöllun fjólmiðla hér hefur að miklu leytist snúist um meintar njósnir Kínverja í Kanada og hugsanlegar tilraunir þeirra til að ná tangarhaldi á Kanadískum stjórnmála- og viðskiptamönnum.  Mikla athygli vakti uppljóstanir um "dufl og daður" stjórnmálamanns við Kínverskan blaðamann, sem síðan hefur verið kölluð heim.

Nú nýverið var haldin ráðstefna um Kínverskar njósnir og fjölluðu fjölmiðlar nokkuð um hana.  Nationalpost birti athygliverða grein, þar sem m.a. mátti lesa eftirfarandi:

Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) director Richard Fadden was right all along. According to a former Chinese spy speaking to a security conference Wednesday, the Ministry of State Security has long targeted foreign politicians. Li Fengzhi, who defected in 2003, told the conference in Gatineau that China wants to steal commercial secrets and influence politicians. “China wants to find some important, influential people to speak out for China. They pay attention to this,” he said.

Mr. Fadden got into hot water last year when he said municipal officials and provincial Cabinet ministers from two provinces were under the influence of the Chinese government. He backed off from his comments after loud criticism from Chinese-Canadian groups.

Earlier in the day, the conference heard from former diplomat Brian McAdam, who detailed how the Chinese government recruits many of its informants — sexpionage. He said “virtually all” hotels in China are rigged with microphones and video cameras and many brothels, karaoke bars and massage parlours are owned by Triads who co-operate with Chinese intelligence services.

The aim is to trap unwary Westerners in “honey pot traps.” Mr. McAdam said men of influence are often targeted and face trumped up charges of rape or attempted rape and are forced to co-operate or face jail time.

“They want to capture people in shameful activities — alleging sex with minors is a common method used,” he said. British and French secret services have started warning prominent business people visiting China about the risks. “Public servants and politicians are the main targets but the Chinese are also after the technology and military sector, so they target engineers, business people and scientists, too.

Globe and Mail var einnig með stutta frétt um málið.