Where will China’s attempts at interference stop? When it comes to national security, this is probably the most crucial question to ask these days.
As the debate continues to rage in Ottawa over Beijing’s interventions in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections, we learn that the RCMP is investigating the alleged existence of two Chinese police stations in Quebec.
The disturbing news comes shortly after a Chinese spy balloon flew over Canada and the United States.
Around the same time, it was discovered that many scientists here, at dozens of universities across the country, were conducting studies in collaboration with researchers with links to industry. Chinese military.
Attempts to acquire sensitive technologies for the benefit of China have also made headlines in recent months. We think in particular of the former employee of Hydro-Québec accused of espionage last fall.
As for the fears related to the tons of data from Canadians siphoned off by the famous social network TikTok, owned by Chinese interests, they are legitimate. Because in China, companies are called upon to support the intelligence work of the state.
Attempts to interfere are so numerous that it sometimes feels like we are dealing with an epidemic.
In this context, we must strengthen our immunity and increase our barrier gestures.
The presence of Chinese “police stations” in Quebec has not yet been confirmed, but THE Montreal Journal revealed last Thursday that the RCMP is investigating two establishments run by a Brossard municipal councilor.
The latter denies everything. However, the RCMP reports that the two establishments are the source of pressure and threats made against members of the Chinese diaspora.
These allegations are extremely serious.
The latest news, the RCMP was receiving “reports” on this subject and continued to encourage “victims and witnesses” to come forward, Sergeant Charles Poirier told us on Friday.
Let’s face it: the allegations are very, very plausible. Because the presence of “Chinese police stations” throughout the world has been rigorously documented, even before their existence is mentioned in Montreal.
The non-governmental organization Safeguard Defenders revealed last year the existence of about fifty such establishments in several major cities around the world. Including three in Toronto and one in Vancouver, we learned that a first investigation by the RCMP in this file was triggered.
The NGO clarified that in some cases, we are not just talking about pressure. Overseas establishments have carried out “law enforcement operations” in cooperation with Chinese authorities.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, THE PRESS
Door of the Chinese Family Service of Greater Montreal, rue Clark. The RCMP suspects that the organization is hiding a Chinese police station that is terrorizing the diaspora.
It is as outrageous as it is unacceptable.
The presence of such “police stations” within our borders, which violate the rights of many citizens, is a national security problem.
It is also a gesture that demonstrates how great Beijing’s contempt for our national sovereignty is.
Last Friday, Xi Jinping officially won a third term as president of China. The event, which confirms that he is the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao, is significant.
It helps us understand the evolution of the behavior of the Chinese regime on the international scene.
Since Xi Jinping consolidates his power in Beijing, one would swear he is inspired by Nicolas Machiavelli, when the latter said that it is safer to be feared than to be loved.
Xi Jinping manages his country with an iron fist, but he also defends China’s interests much more aggressively outside its borders.
And Canada, like many other Western democracies, is paying the price.
However, for (too) long, we did not make it clear to the Chinese regime where the red lines were that it should not cross.
The situation is slowly but surely clearing up.
Ottawa even dared to write black and white in Canada’s recent Indo-Pacific strategy that “China is an increasingly disruptive global power”.
That said, total protection against attempts at interference by the Chinese giant is impossible.
But we will put the odds on our side by shedding light as quickly as possible on all allegations of interference, without exception. This is also the reason why a public inquiry into the role played by Beijing in our elections remains essential.
Subsequently, it will be a question of reacting with a firmness commensurate with the extent of the abuses that will have been confirmed.
The protection of our national security is at this price.