Thread by @joannachiu

EXCLUSIVE: China’s foreign interference likely ‘widespread’ in Canada, says author of new @ASPI_org report on the United Front's activities. thestar.com/news/canada/20… @alexjoske @TorontoStar #cdnpoli #China

The United Front has been an official department of the Chinese Communist Party since 1979, tasked to advance global support for the party by stifling criticism and recruiting allies.

But there has been little attention to its work. thestar.com/news/canada/20… @TorontoStar

This report released today by @ASPI_org @alexjoske draws on extensive reviews of CCP documents, Chinese-language media articles, overseas organizations' websites as well as photographs and posts on Chinese social media platforms including WeChat. thestar.com/news/canada/20…

The report does not cover Canada’s experience of Beijing's "United Front" influence, but the report’s author shared some of his research exclusively with the Star. Read to view the findings in full: thestar.com/news/canada/20… @alexjoske @ASPI_org @TorontoStar #cdnpoli #China

“When it comes to Canadians attending major United Front conferences and events, online directories of attendees show a large number of Canadian participants as well as Australians,” says @alexjoske. The events clearly show Chinese government involvement. thestar.com/news/canada/20…

As an example, leaked screenshots last year showed Chinese embassy officials instructing students of Chinese descent to find out information about a talk on rights of Uyghur minorities in China, and collect data. Our story interviewing those targeted: thestar.com/vancouver/2019…

Exclusively to @TorontoStar: A United Front conference in China last year for overseas media listed more than 50 attendees from Canada, while another key United Front event listed 24 Canada delegates.

Details on why this is concerning: thestar.com/news/canada/20… #cdnpoli @ASPI_org

The findings should come as no surprise to Canada’s leaders, said MP @GarnettGenuis.

He pointed out that public servants including former director of Canada’s spy agency, Richard Fadden, have repeatedly warned about China's foreign interference. thestar.com/news/canada/20… #cdnpoli

But the Canadian spy chief's warnings in 2010 to CBC were *extremely* controversial at the time. Elected officials said his comments were paranoid, xenophobic, and called for his resignation.
thestar.com/news/canada/20…

Fadden referenced a "couple cases of politicians and a couple of cases of public servants whom we think are just a little bit too close to that foreign government.”

10 yrs later, @alexjoske agrees this is likely the case and suggests a public inquiry: thestar.com/news/canada/20…

https://twitter.com/alexjoske/status/1270147445800923136

Here is the full interview with Canadian spy chief Richard Fadden that was so controversial ten years ago. The negative influence of Beijing meddling wasn't taken very seriously back then...

“The intelligence is already there to suggest there is a concern,” @GarnettGenuis told @TorontoStar.

“The government for whatever reason has chosen not to respond. There might be some naïveté, yes, but also failure to act on advice.” thestar.com/news/canada/20… #cdnpoli #China

In Australia, high public awareness about CCP foreign influence pushed Canberra to pass new counter-interference laws. Research suggests there are similar problems in Canada, but there's much less interest here.

Why do you think that is?

thestar.com/news/canada/20… @TorontoStar

The report profiled the case of disgraced former Australian senator Sam Dastyari as an example of the ways the United Front can influence foreign governments.

"There is no reason why such cases aren’t happening in Canada as well,” @alexjoske said: thestar.com/news/canada/20…

Beijing often targets ethnic Chinese abroad to stifle criticism and recruit allies. But just bringing this up can lead to knee-jerk racism, which makes it hard for governments to engage with ethnic Chinese communities to root out United Front agents. thestar.com/news/canada/20…

Because United Front work is multifaceted, it'll take a tailored response and a parliament committee is working on this, says MP @GarnettGenuis.

But first, Ottawa should tell embassies that meddling in politics or intimidating critics won’t be tolerated. thestar.com/news/canada/20…

The @ASPI_org report also has this handy guide on ways to recognize United Front groups. You can print it out and keep it in your wallet. 🙂 aspi.org.au/report/party-s…

Here's the full report. Kudos to @alexjoske for such a detailed and clearly laid out investigation! I'll be referencing this again and again. aspi.org.au/report/party-s…

And I would agree a major reason the world has been so slow to effectively deal with the United Front is because of *racism*. It totally stops important conversations in its tracks.

https://twitter.com/rzhongnotes/status/1270158386248769536

Despite the backlash, targets of United Front threats and intimidation in Canada have spoken out. I interviewed two of them in this story with @Nuttallreports. Stay tuned for our next story from your favourite West Coast dynamic China journalism duo. 😆thestar.com/vancouver/2019…

PS: The cover art for the ASPI report is by self-exiled Chinese cartoonist @badiucao. He also created the art for my report on Chinese internet censorship and its implications for China's artists and writers with @jrtager and other @PENamerica editors. pen.org/research-resou…

ICYMI: A new alliance of legislators from around the globe, IPAC, is seeking to unite international efforts and pressure their own governments to adopt new policies on China's government. thestar.com/news/canada/20… @Nuttallreports