Chinese interference in New Zealand at 'critical' stage, says Canada spy report
[ST What I am not getting from this is just what did China do wrong? I get that NZ is appealing to China, but that is how international relations are formed - give and take.]
A report released by Canada’s spy agency has warned that New Zealand, one of its closest allies, has been influenced at every level of society by the Chinese government, and that the situation has reached a “critical” stage.
The report states that New Zealand is viewed as “the soft underbelly” of its western big brothers such as the UK and US.
New Zealand's Five Eyes membership called into question over 'China links'
“President Xi Jinping is driving a multi-dimensional strategy to lift China to global dominance,” it stated, and New Zealand was a key pawn in its strategy, with the government regarding its relations with the island nation as “an exemplar” of how it would like to steer future relations with other states.
The report was published by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) but does not reflect the spy agency’s official views, and was based on reports to CSIS during an academic workshop.
The report claimed New Zealand’s business, political and intellectual elite had all been targeted by the Chinese Communist party, and that business tie-ups with companies, universities and research centres had been used to “influence activities and to provide access to military technology, commercial secrets and other strategic information”.
“Massive efforts” had also been made to bring Chinese-language media and Chinese community groups under the party’s control, and political donations have been made, it said.
More at: theguardian.com |
