A former New Zealand Member of Parliament (MP) and alleged Chinese spy, Jian Yang, has reportedly anointed a mentee as his successor. The mentee, Raymond Huo, is also a former MP and has been accused of having close ties to the Chinese Communist Party. Jian Yang, who served as an MP from 2011 to 2020, was accused of concealing his past ties to Chinese military intelligence. He allegedly taught English to Chinese spies and was a member of the Communist Party. Raymond Huo, who served as an MP from 2008 to 2014 and again from 2017 to 2020, has denied any wrongdoing and stated that he is not a member of the Communist Party. The allegations against Jian Yang and Raymond Huo have raised concerns about Chinese influence in New Zealand politics.
This development comes in the midst of heightened concerns about Chinese influence in politics globally. The sentencing of Chinese-Australian writer Yang Hengjun to a suspended death sentence for espionage charges has strained Australia-China relations. The lack of transparency and fairness in China's justice system has been condemned by the Australian government, which has called for Yang's release. In addition, the sentencing of Yuan Keqin, a former professor in Japan, to six years in prison for spying for Japan further highlights concerns about China's justice system. Both cases have raised questions about the Chinese government's use of espionage charges to target individuals and suppress dissent. The international community has called for greater transparency and adherence to the rule of law in China's legal system. The sentencing of journalist and feminist activist Sophia Huang Xueqin to five years in prison for 'inciting subversion of state power' has also raised concerns about the Chinese government's crackdown on activists and dissenting voices. The cases of Huang Xueqin and Wang Jianbing, another activist sentenced to prison on the same charge, have highlighted the lack of transparency and fairness in China's justice system, as well as the chilling effect it has on activism and free speech. The international community has called for the release of Huang and Wang, and for greater respect for human rights in China.
The allegations against Jian Yang and Raymond Huo in New Zealand add to the growing concerns about Chinese influence in politics. The international community is increasingly wary of China's efforts to exert influence and control over foreign governments and institutions. The case of Jian Yang and his alleged ties to Chinese military intelligence, as well as the accusations against Raymond Huo, raise questions about the extent of Chinese influence in New Zealand politics. It is crucial for countries to remain vigilant and take steps to protect their democratic processes and national security from foreign interference.
In a related development, a former RCMP analyst has alleged that a Ministry of State Security (MSS) officer named Yang Hengjun went undercover as a democracy blogger in Guangzhou before setting up a media network in Vancouver, British Columbia. The analyst, who joined the RCMP in 2020 but left shortly after, believes that the RCMP should have acted on the information provided about Chinese infiltration in Canada. The analyst's story highlights the sophistication of Beijing's networks in Canada and the covert takeover of Chinese media in the country. Yang Hengjun, who was a rising blogger and had connections to the Chinese Communist Party, led a global network of pro-CCP media influencers from the International New Media Cooperation Organization. The organization's mission was to promote Chinese culture and influence overseas [e422f9fc].