how a former French secret service agent betrayed his country for the benefit of Beijing

For a long time, the risks of Beijing’s interference in foreign countries were downplayed by Western intelligence services, which preferred to concentrate their efforts on the fight against the Islamist terrorist threat. However, Chinese espionage is today the most active and most powerful in the world. The “Guoanbu”, Chinese Ministry of State Security, is the equivalent of the American CIA, the French DGSE or the Israeli Mossad. It can count on more than 100,000 agents and colossal financial resources, notably at the service of a cyber army ready to use all tricks in order to make China the leading world power by 2049, the centenary year of the People’s Republic.

The documentary China, covert operations, directed by Nolwenn Le Fustec and Antoine Izambard deciphers the destabilization operations launched by Beijing, in France, the United States or Africa. It exposes how this country hunts down its political dissidents in exile, extracts the industrial secrets of its rivals and infiltrates large companies. The film also reveals how DGSE agents became spies in the pay of Beijing.

Adultery and betrayal

In 2020, two former French secret agents, accused of having spied on French foreign intelligence on behalf of Beijing, were sentenced to eight and twelve years in prison, for “delivery of information to a foreign power”, “attack on the fundamental interests of the nation” and “intelligence with a foreign power”. Danielle, the ex-wife of Henri Magnac, one of the two agents involved, agreed to testify in the documentary.

“He was someone upright, who had a family spirit, who had a lot of qualities, who was professional. No, I could never have imagined that things would turn out like this.”

Danielle, ex-wife of Henri Magnac

“China, covert operations”

In 1996, her husband became head of DGSE post in China. He leaves alone, his wife having decided to stay in France for the children’s studies. Henri Magnac then very quickly begins an adulterous relationship with the Chinese interpreter of the French ambassador in Beijing. “I noticed straight away that there were a lot of expenses: hotel, restaurant, clothes… It alarmed me a little, because Henri was not a spendthrift at all.”testifies Danielle.

She then decides to go see him in China and very quickly understands the situation. She informs the ambassador, the translator is fired, and Henri Magnac is forcibly repatriated to France and retired..

A lack of supervision

“Well, he supposedly fell in love, ironically delivers Bernard Barbier, former technical director of the DGSE. This is the classic trap. When you are a DGSE agent, it can lead to you betraying your country. (…) The fact that he succumbs to temptation, inevitably, he becomes a target of the Chinese services.” “He was bitter, unhappy at having returned to France, unhappy at being retired, so he wanted a little for everyone”relates Bernard Grelon, lawyer for the DGSE, in the documentary.

Rejected by everyone, Henri Magnac decides to return to China, where he marries the ex-interpreter. He was then very quickly recruited by the Chinese secret services. “For several years, he will provide, in particular, information on the organization of services, the organization chart of the DGSE, what are the ways of acting of the French services… All this provides very useful information to the opponent”explains Bernard Grelon.

The Guoanbu offers him a job, an apartment, a company car and remuneration of 5,000 euros per month, not counting the 10,000 euros for each information provided. He would only be unmasked many years later, having not been monitored as he should have been by the DGSE.

The documentary China, covert operationsdirected by Nolwenn Le Fustec and Antoine Izambard is broadcast on Sunday March 3 at 9:05 p.m. on France 5 and on france.tv.