Thread by @_JakubJanda

THREAD: Unprecedented defensive campaign by Czech security institutions aganist Chinese influence operations in under way.
Let me explain what is going on in Prague:

@john_sipher @20committee @edwardlucas @IlvesToomas @JulianRoepcke @Kateryna_Kruk @michaeldweiss @PowerVertical

- Since mid 2000s, various Czech businessmen or politicians tried to reach out to the Chinese establishment, hoping for cash. Usually, those were communists or social democrats.

- Around 2010, Chinese government decided to slowly start its networks in the Czech Republic.

- Around late 2000s, the largest Czech financial group PPF aimed to get their business started in China and later on they did. In early 2010s, they engaged in moving Czech foreign policy from human-rights-focus into what I would call full-steams-ahead with Chinese commies.

- Moreover, several Czech citizen (usually close, former or current social democrats) were employed by Chinese firm called CEFC which served as the main agenda-driving proxy of the Chinese influence in Prague (but not only). Cases which we call "little Czech Gerhard Schroeders".

- So when new Czech govt entered office in 2014, the leading social democrats, Czech President Zeman, private company PPF and Chinese communist party shared one common goal - shift Czech foreign policy towards the Chinese regime. Which they did.

- Outside of this strategic elite capture, very few people resisted this hijack of Czech foreign policy. Several security analysts, Czech security institutions, some mainstream media had critical coverage, but that was it.

- Skipping out all details, now in 2018-2019:

- Czech counter-intelligence agency BIS published its 2017 annual report in late 2018 and explicitly said (again) that Chinese espionage is a massive threat. Similar warning were made by elite police unit (NCOZ), military intelligence warned over the Belt and Road Initiative.

- in Dec 2018, Czech cyber security office (NUKIB) issued a public warning, calling Huawei and ZTE "a security threat". Czech government later on decided to investigate Huawei tech in 160 Czech institutions & companies.

- President Zeman (serving the Chinese) keeps attacking Czech intelligence institutions, not only on this case, also on anything related to the Russian threat.

- When Polish counter-intelligence ABW just arrested two individuals linked to Huawei, it means a lot.

- Huawei in Poland serves as a regional HQ, so Prague Huawei entities actually have to report to Warsaw. Which means that ABW most probably has a lot of intel on how Czech Huawei works as a tool of Chinese espionage, as many intelligence sources keep pointing out.

- Now we expect major Chinese offensive aganist the Czech government, using it local proxies and traitors to force Czech government into backing down.

- For example. Chinese ambassador in Prague urged Czech PM for a meting on Dec 23, then publicly lied about it.