New Zealand’s spy service yesterday branded China a “complex intelligence concern” and warned that the nation was vulnerable to foreign interference.
In an annual threat report, the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service said that several countries were undertaking “malicious activity” on its shores, but called out China’s attempts as “complex and deceptive.”
In particular, Beijing was accused of using front organizations to connect with local groups to replace authentic and diverse community views with those approved by the ruling party.
Photo: AP
In one example, a Chinese-language community news outlet parroted Beijing’s talking points, it said.
“These front organisations will often appear to be community-based ... but their true affiliation, direction and funding sources are hidden,” the report said.
The unusually blunt language comes as New Zealand’s recently elected center-right government tilts the nation’s foreign policy more closely toward traditional Western allies. This comes after years of growing economic ties with China — New Zealand’s biggest trade partner.
In March, Wellington publicly said that a Chinese state-sponsored group was behind a 2021 malicious cyberattack that infiltrated sensitive government computer systems.
Beijing dismissed allegations of hacking and accused New Zealand critics of being puppets of the US.
Asked about the spy report, Beijing yesterday said that it would “never interfere in the internal affairs of any other country.”
“We hope the New Zealand side will maintain a rational and objective understanding of China, and create favorable conditions for the development of healthy, stable relations between the two countries,” Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Mao Ning (毛寧) said.
New Zealand’s spy agency said the country’s geographical position and role in the Pacific region made it “vulnerable” to other countries striving for greater influence.
That included Russia, which “likely monitors the public statements and social media accounts” of people, it said.
In another case, an unnamed country contacted a local New Zealand council and offered to pay for a community event if they agreed to restrict a particular religious group.
The report aimed to be upfront about threats facing the country, Security Intelligence Service Director-General Andrew Hampton said.
“The point is not to alarm anyone, but to alert New Zealanders to the threats so that we can work together to manage them,” he said.
Earlier this year, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the country could no longer depend on the “splendid isolation” provided by its geography.
China remains New Zealand’s biggest trading partner — exporting dairy, meat and wood products that exceeded NZ$21.39 billion (US$13.2 billion), official data showed.
Luxon has warned that although China was “a country of undoubted influence,” different values mean “there are issues on which we cannot and will not agree.”
TRAGEDY STRIKES TAIPEI: The suspect died after falling off a building after he threw smoke grenades into Taipei Main Station and went on a killing spree in Zhongshan A 27-year-old suspect allegedly threw smoke grenades in Taipei Main Station and then proceeded to Zhongshan MRT Station in a random killing spree that resulted in the death of the suspect and two other civilians, and seven injured, including one in critical condition, as of press time last night. The suspect, identified as a man surnamed Chang Wen (張文), allegedly began the attack at Taipei Main Station, the Taipei Fire Department said, adding that it received a report at 5:24pm that smoke grenades had been thrown in the station. One man in his 50s was rushed to hospital after a cardiac arrest
A car bomb killed a senior Russian general in southern Moscow yesterday morning, the latest high-profile army figure to be blown up in a blast that came just hours after Russian and Ukrainian delegates held separate talks in Miami on a plan to end the war. Kyiv has not commented on the incident, but Russian investigators said they were probing whether the blast was “linked” to “Ukrainian special forces.” The attack was similar to other assassinations of generals and pro-war figures that have either been claimed, or are widely believed to have been orchestrated, by Ukraine. Russian Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, 56, head
SAFETY FIRST: Double the number of police were deployed at the Taipei Marathon, while other cities released plans to bolster public event safety Authorities across Taiwan have stepped up security measures ahead of Christmas and New Year events, following a knife and smoke bomb attack in Taipei on Friday that left four people dead and 11 injured. In a bid to prevent potential copycat incidents, police deployments have been expanded for large gatherings, transport hubs, and other crowded public spaces, according to official statements from police and city authorities. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said the city has “comprehensively raised security readiness” in crowded areas, increased police deployments with armed officers, and intensified patrols during weekends and nighttime hours. For large-scale events, security checkpoints and explosives
PUBLIC SAFETY: The premier said that security would be tightened in transport hubs, while President Lai commended the public for their bravery The government is to deploy more police, including rapid response units, in crowded public areas to ensure a swift response to any threats, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday after a knife attack killed three people and injured 11 in Taipei the previous day. Lai made the remarks following a briefing by the National Police Agency on the progress of the investigation, saying that the attack underscored the importance of cooperation in public security between the central and local governments. The attack unfolded in the early evening on Friday around Taipei Main Station’s M7 exit and later near the Taipei MRT’s Zhongshan
RSS