Chinese government interference in Canada: Difference between revisions

Chinese government interference in Canada consists of espionage, compromise of politicians and government officials, election interference, and control of individuals and companies with ties to the Chinese government or Chinese Communist Party (CCP).^[1]

These overseas influence operations have allegedly risen to the extent that they represent an alarming security threat to the United States, who have conducted a secret probe of the issue, according to former Canadian and US intelligence officials.^[2]

In 2016, newspaper sources reported that Justin Trudeau had been attending cash-for-access events at the homes of wealthy Chinese-Canadians in Toronto and Vancouver, generating a political scandal.^[3][4][5][6] Attendees at these events, including attendees with connections to the CCP, would pay up to $1,525 per ticket to meet Trudeau. In response, the Liberal Party indicated that all party fundraising complied with Elections Canada rules and regulations.^[3][7]

Family of Conservative MP Micheal Chong were allegedly targeted for harassment by the Chinese government as part of China’s state interference in Canadian politics.^[8][9] Chong revealed that a Chinese diplomat in Canada “was involved in conducting these intimidation operations”.^[10] Chong accused the federal government of failing to inform him about allegations that Beijing wanted to intimidate his family. ^[11] Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday he knew that after Chong was sanctioned by China in 2021, CSIS was giving the MP what Trudeau called “defensive” briefings, but claimed that CSIS withheld information about China's threats to Chong.^[10][12] According to CBC News, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he has told Canada’s spy agency it needs to share more information about threats to MPs while being adamant that he only learned of reports that the Chinese government was targeting a Conservative MP and his family this week.^[11][10]

In late 2022, Global News reported on a suspected attempt by the government of China to infiltrate the Parliament of Canada by funding a network of candidates to run in the country's 2019 federal election.^{[13][14][15][16][17]}

Chinese security agencies are known to try to compromise Canadian officials who travel to China.^[18]

According to the 2017 “Memorandum for the Prime Minister” prepared by Trudeau's National Security Advisor, Daniel Jean, “Canadian officials are highly likely to be subjects of Chinese efforts to exert undue influence or otherwise compromise their independence during travel to China."^[18] The Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs (CPIFA), which reports to the United Front Work Department, is one of the key state agencies that regularly funds trips of Canadian politicians.^[19] Between 2006 and 2017, Canadian parliamentarians took 36 trips to China sponsored by arms of the Chinese government or by Chinese-affiliated business groups.^[19]

In 2018, Ted Jiancheng Zhou, owner of Shanghai Oriental Capital Group and Evertrust Development Group Canada Inc.,^[20] travelled to China with Conservative senators Victor Oh, Don Plett, and Leo Housakos, along with their spouses. On this two week all-expense paid trip, the politicians were introduced to senior Chinese Communist Party officials and fêted, including at a lavish dinner at the five-star St. Regis Hotel in Beijing.^[20][19]

During the years he was a backbench MP from 2008 to 2015, John McCallum, who subsequently served as ambassador to China for the Trudeau government, is reported to have enjoyed $73,300 in all-expense paid trips to China at the expense of Beijing-friendly groups prior to being appointed ambassador.^[19][21]

• Foreign electoral intervention
• Entryism
• Chinese intelligence activity abroad
• Chinese police overseas service stations
• Canada–China relations