Counterintelligence

Interesting stories to read and watch about  Wang “William” Liqiang or Nick Zhao . But this seems to be a funny coincidence: After all, it is in Australia - obviously a paradise for the Chinese intelligence agencies.

More than twenty experts from all over the world take a look at one of the most mysterious and vibrant regions when it comes to intelligence and organised crime: East Asia. Scientists, journalists and practitioners describe the reasons for current developments and analyse future problems – not only for East Asia, but for Western intelligence and police agencies as well. "Asia is among the most important regions for not just for economic but also for strategic security issues. Almost 20 international experts allow exclusive and up-to-date insights into the security and intelligence world. They also focus on cyber and organised crime, both with serious impacts for Europe. The expert opinions of this study contribute notably to our to understanding of security structures, policies and mindsets as well as of those who challenge them in and out of China, Japan, Mongolia, South and North Korea." (Dr. Christian Ehler, Member of the European Parliament, 1st Vice Chair...

A few days ago „The Economist“ commented the situation in North Korea. At least the author wrote somehow open and impassioned about the further dealing with the regime in Pyongyang: „… taking every opportunity to undermine the regime, as the West did in eastern Europe during the cold war. The Soviet era teaches that nothing is more potent than exposing people to the prosperity and freedoms of the world around them. So outsiders should pay for North Koreans to travel and to acquire skills abroad, support the radio stations that broadcast into the country, back the church networks that supply documentaries and films and turn a blind eye to the smuggling networks and the traders…“ Well spoken, but it seems that many people don´t want to listen. I mention the following episode not for the first time: A time ago I took part in a discussion about how to deal with North Korean politicians and – more important – how to find the right dialogue partner. I told the small audience of US...

Man sitzt also in der Sonne, schlürft ein kühles Getränk und blättert so dieses und jenes durch.   Da lese ich beispielsweise einen als „Report“ bezeichneten Artikel aus der Süddeutschen Zeitung mit dem Titel „Der unsichtbare Gegner“ (19./20. Mai 2012, S. 36). Es geht um Spione „aus Industrie und Geheimdiensten“, mal wieder. Warum auch nicht. Aber so lesenswert dieser Artikel auch ist, ich kann mir einige Anmerkungen nicht verkneifen. Zitat:   „Industriespionage, eine besonders gefährliche … Form des Wirtschaftskrieges. Es geht um nationale Interessen… Staaten wie China und Russland stehen im Verdacht, westliche Konzerne systematisch auszuforschen….Industriespionage als Teil staatlicher Industriepolitik“ Mein Senf dazu: Falsch! Industriespionage ist die Spionage privater Akteure, also Firma gegen Firma. Dass dabei auch mal Staaten helfen, kann vorkommen. Aber natürlich nur bei den Bösen, also den o. g., wie immer. Niemals würden die USA oder Israel oder Frankre...

A few days ago – time and date are not important – I took the train from A to B, sitting there and reading about security problems inside the military industry, insider threats and bad spies from the outside. Louis Gallois, head of EADS – Europe’s defence and aerospace group, told us that industrial espionage threat is very real and very dangerous in China. Only in China? I found myself inside a typical situation, which was predestinated for any ambitious spy from a foreign country, a noisy competitor or just an engaged extremist who wants to bomb the company. This situation shows me clearly how mindless all this stupid corporate papers and out-dated power point lectures are, when it comes to the profane and boring time in the afternoon, driving home, thinking about the girl last night, waiting for the next beer: A man sat in front of me, tired and obviously frustrated with his personal situation (Yes, I can interpret your facial expression and I can read in your sad eyes ). He a...

In the current issue of The Economist (August 13th – 19th 2011) one can read an exciting article, you will never find in any German weekly: “The Queensway syndicate and the Africa trade“ (p. 15 ff.) Subject is et al. the Queensway Group in Hong Kong, famous for insiders as a shadowy and complex Chinese structure of firms, some of them intelligence and/or government related and well known for its (Chinese) wall: no or few informations as possible about the business, network, financial engagements and contracts. One figure to name – and the mentioned article name him – is Mr. Sam Pa, maybe one of the spiders in the network, maybe the one and only spider. Concerning to him The Economist writes about “a 2009 American congressional report”, which is of course a great source for every Asian intelligence researcher. For understanding Chinese (intelligence) activities in Africa and elsewhere check the firms and persons mentioned in this and other reports, make an update of the personal statu...