Beijing claims that a US citizen, sentenced to life in prison in China in May this year, is a decorated spy who worked for US intelligence for more than three decades
The episode comes as the country intensifies a campaign warning citizens to protect themselves against foreign espionage.
John Shing-Wan Leung, 78, also has a permanent residence in Hong Kong. Authorities have not provided details about his case other than that he was detained by state security agents in April 2021.
Months after the sentence, the Ministry of State Security, China’s main civilian spy agency, said in a social media post last Monday (11) that Leung had been recruited by US intelligence agencies in 1989. and received what he called a “merit medal” for the large amount of information he allegedly collected.
The ministry accused Leung of spying on Chinese diplomats and Chinese officials visiting the US – including luring them to hotels under wiretapping and using so-called “honey traps” to blackmail them.
A CNN cannot independently verify the allegations against Leung and the ministry has not provided further evidence about the case.
Cases involving espionage – a broad and vaguely defined charge – are generally handled behind closed doors in China, where the judicial system has a conviction rate exceeding 99.9%.
In an earlier statement about Leung, the US State Department said it was “aware of the conviction of a US citizen in the PRC (China) on charges of espionage.”
“When a U.S. citizen is detained abroad, the department works to provide all appropriate assistance, including relevant consular access,” a spokesperson added.
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Beijing and Washington have stepped up spying accusations against each other after controversy over an alleged Chinese spy balloon shot down by the US further inflamed tensions earlier this year.
In August, the Ministry of State Security launched a public account on WeChat, a popular Chinese social network with more than a billion users. In the following weeks, the agency used the platform to alert the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity to authorities.
In an apparent attempt to show that these threats are real, the ministry disclosed two recent cases in which Chinese citizens were accused of spying for the CIA, a US intelligence agency, after being recruited while living outside the country.
The apparent propaganda campaign comes just weeks after CIA Director William Burns said his agency “has made progress” in rebuilding its spy network in China after suffering major setbacks a decade ago.
Listening in hotels
A CNN previously revealed that Leung was a veteran leader of several pro-Beijing groups in the Houston area who had spent years with senior Chinese officials.
In China, he was praised by state media as an “outstanding representative” of “patriotic” Chinese abroad for promoting exchanges between the United States and the Asian country.
In its WeChat post, the ministry claimed that Leung’s patriotic personality was a means of gaining access to Chinese intelligence.
The body also said that the US provided funding for Leung to take on leadership roles in multiple US associations abroad to raise his profile and travel to China to hold charity events to burnish his image as a “patriotic philanthropist”. .
“With the help of these disguises, Leung was instructed by US intelligence agencies to carry out espionage activities against our country on a large scale,” the ministry said.
The post revealed that Leung worked as a US informant for more than three decades, starting in 1989.
It further detailed the methods Leung allegedly used to collect information during this period, including approaching Chinese diplomats at lunches and dinners, festive events and activities in Chinese associations abroad.
According to the agency, Leung closely monitored visits by Chinese officials to the US and reported them to his advisors.
“Following the plans established by the US side, [Leung] would take them to restaurants or hotels where U.S. intelligence agencies have installed monitoring equipment in advance to obtain information.”
“He even set up ‘honey traps’ in an attempt to coerce our people and incite desertion.”
The latest accusations against Leung come in the same week that a supposed Chinese spy scandal has shaken the heart of British politics.
Two men have been arrested under the UK’s Official Secrets Act, amid reports that a parliamentary researcher with alleged links to senior Conservative Party politicians, including security minister Tom Tugendhat, has been arrested on suspicion of spying for Beijing .
Last Sunday (10), British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he took “very strong concerns” to Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang about potential Chinese influence on British democracy.
The Chinese embassy in London dismissed the spying accusation as “completely fabricated”.
See also: Xi Jinping tells security chiefs: think about the “worst case”
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
