Intelligence report warns Chinese spies operate ‘all over Europe’

In its latest annual report on security challenges, the Norwegian government warned of a security threat in the form of Chinese intelligence networks in Europe.

“Their activities include political espionage and industrial espionage, with cyberspace being the main entry point,” a document released by the Scandinavian country’s intelligence agency on Monday warned.

The report comes after the Netherlands, another NATO ally, announced last week that Chinese state-backed hackers infiltrated Dutch military computer networks by planting malware last year. Last month, the FBI announced that it had disrupted a botnet set up by hackers sanctioned by the Chinese government to cover up plans to target “critical infrastructure.”

The intelligence chiefs of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have warned that the Chinese government is committing intellectual property theft on an unprecedented scale.

The Norwegian document states that “Chinese intelligence services operate across Europe” and conceal their activities through a range of “publicly available tools and digital infrastructure.”

They do not carry out their mission alone, but are supported by private actors such as “diplomats, traveling delegations, civilians, businesses, and special interest groups.”

The report said these intelligence agencies also rely on close relationships with Chinese companies, and all Chinese citizens and companies are legally obligated to assist the government in gathering information upon request. He pointed out that

A report from NATO allies says Western countries now face a “more dangerous security situation” than last year, with the current global threat from extremist groups like Hamas backed by China, Russia and Iran. He cited a challenge to order.

The governments of these countries share a “revisionist policy of weakening Western influence and establishing an international order whose direction is not guided by liberal values ​​such as democracy and freedom of speech.” The document states that there is.

Beyond intelligence, the report raised concerns about the country’s and its allies’ reliance on value chains that are unfairly controlled by a few actors, such as China’s control over mineral refining technology.

In the wake of international sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine war, Norwegian intelligence says China is a major player and has both the “ability and the will” to use these dependencies to “exert political pressure”. Certified.

As the Russia-Ukraine war enters its second year, China is giving Moscow’s fighting machine a major boost. Not with ready-to-use weapons such as North Korea and Iran, which are accused of contributing, but with vehicles and other machinery and parts. , and electronic equipment, authorities said.