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from the what-a-wicked-web-we-weave-when-first-we-practice-to-deceive dept.
We had two Soylentils write in with news about Chinese spy operations and a defection in Australia.
Australia Investigating Alleged Chinese Plot to Install "Spy MP"
Australia investigates alleged Chinese plot to install spy MP
Australian intelligence officials have confirmed they are investigating allegations of a plot to plant a Chinese spy in the nation's parliament. The allegations - first aired by local network Nine - assert that a suspected Chinese espionage ring approached a Chinese-Australian man to run as an MP.
[...] On Sunday, Nine's 60 Minutes programme reported that suspected Chinese agents approached a luxury car dealer, Nick Zhao, ahead of Australia's general election - which took place in May. They allegedly offered him A$1m (£520,000; $680,000) to fund his run for a Melbourne seat as a candidate for the ruling Liberal Party, of which Mr Zhao was already a member.
Mr Zhao gave information about the alleged approach to the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (Asio) last year, Nine reported. He was found dead in a hotel room in Melbourne in March. His death has prompted a coroner's inquiry.
Nine has also reported that a man claiming to be a Chinese spy has applied for asylum in Australia, in an unrelated case.
Chinese Spy Decided to Defect to Australia
Chinese spy Wang Liqiang alleges Beijing ordered overseas murders, including in Australia.
A man claiming to have worked as a secret Chinese operative for five years says Beijing has directed overseas assassinations, including on Australian soil.
Government sources have confirmed to the ABC[*] Wang "William" Liqiang has detailed the sensational allegations as he seeks political asylum.
Nine Newspapers have reported Mr Wang is in hiding in Sydney after recently providing a sworn statement to Australia's domestic spy agency ASIO outlining Beijing's covert operations.
One senior official, speaking to the ABC on the condition of anonymity, said the challenge for security agencies was to now "separate fact from fiction" while assessing Mr Wang's disclosures.
In the statement Mr Wang provided ASIO[**] last month, he reportedly states: "I have been personally involved and participated in a series of espionage activities".
According to Nine Newspapers, Mr Wang has provided new details about the kidnapping of five booksellers who specialised in works critical of Chinese leaders based in Hong Kong, starting in 2015, and their rendition to mainland China.
He is also reported to have said spies from Beijing were infiltrating Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, influencing Taiwan's elections and "operating with impunity in Australia", according to The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
[*] ABC: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
[**] ASIO: Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
NB: Australia is part of Five Eyes intelligence community which also includes Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Also at Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and MSN.
Can't wait to see the spin that China puts on this. And, the spin that US media puts on it should be even better!
(Score: 4, Funny) by captain normal on Monday November 25 2019, @06:43PM (4 children)
Guess that might be better than Russia installing a U.S. President.
When life isn't going right, go left.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 25 2019, @07:22PM
Thankfully... the smart ones voted her out.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 25 2019, @08:02PM (1 child)
>Trump keeping gas prices low
This definitely helps Russia by making sure they lose tons of money on oil exports
>Trump pulls us out of Syria
I for one would be happy as Russia getting further bogged down in Syria, putting Russian lives on the line for an oil pipeline that isn't selling as well as it should
>Trump forces NATO nations to increase funding of NATO
Dunno, this one for sure helps Russia probably
>Trump trying to get EU nations to buy American fuel instead of Russian fuel
Probably helps Russia? Russians probably didn't want to be able to sell that LNG
>Trump increases funding to the US military to build bigger and better missiles, Russia has to respond with the same to maintain parity
This one might actually help the Russians. Their only exports are oil and weapons, now people will have to buy the newest generation of those.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by loonycyborg on Monday November 25 2019, @09:43PM
You can safely write this off as pure PR point because both US and Russia deployed extremely small forces there, helping mostly with specialized units letting local grunts fight most of the war. Any serious large scale deployment by one of those countries will likely lead to nuclear war long before any economic effects from waging war would be felt..
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 25 2019, @08:23PM
Biden is racist: https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/25/biden-senior-latina-adviser-quits-073553 [politico.com]