A former engineer from the Canadian Space Agency living in Brossard has just been accused of breach of trust following an investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) into his secret links with China.
“Wanping Zheng, 61, is charged in connection with illegal activities alongside his duties at the Canadian Space Agency,” the RCMP said in a statement Wednesday. The man has been arrested in recent weeks and released on a promise to appear in court on December 15.
It was the Integrated National Security Team (INSET) that began an investigation into Mr. Zheng in October 2019 after being alerted by the Space Agency about his employee, who formerly worked in the St. Hubert, on the South Shore of Montreal.
According to the police, the engineer would have used his status within the federal body in order to negotiate in parallel agreements of installations in Iceland of relay stations intended to communicate with satellites on behalf of a Chinese aerospace company.
The Chinese aerospace industry is closely linked to the Chinese Communist Party government.
The risk of foreign interference
In announcing the laying of charges, the RCMP raised the risk of interference by foreign powers in strategic sectors.
“The RCMP’s mandate is to detect and disrupt attempts at foreign interference. It investigates the activities carried out by or for foreign actors and which constitute a risk for the institutions and the economy of Canada ”, specifies the press release.
“The Canadian Space Agency is essential infrastructure and constitutes a strategic interest to be protected. The RCMP and its partners are working with sectors at risk so that Canada improves its response and resilience to this threat, ”continues the federal police force.