Chinese CCP members working in global consulates & top firms? UK report makes big claim

Amid rising concerns over Beijing's clandestine intelligence gathering and surveillance activities around the world, it has been reported that Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) loyal members have been working in British consulates, universities and some of the leading UK companies.

'CCP members have secured jobs in British consulates' 

An extraordinary leaked database of 1.95 million registered CCP members reveals how Beijing's "malign influence" now stretches into almost every corner of British life, including defence firms, banks and pharmaceutical giants, Daily Mail reported. The report said, "Most alarmingly, some of its members, who swear a solemn oath to 'guard Party secrets, be loyal to the Party, work hard, fight for communism throughout my life...and never betray the Party', are understood to have secured jobs in British consulates."

Among them is a senior official at the British Consulate in Shanghai. The official describes their role as supporting ministers and officials on visits to East China. The database was originally said to be leaked on Telegram, the encrypted instant messaging app. It was then passed on in September by a Chinese dissident to the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, which comprises more than 150 legislators around the world who are concerned by the influence and activities of the Chinese government.

The leaked data was then provided to an international consortium of four media organisations: The Australian, The Mail on Sunday in Britain, De Standaard in Belgium and Swedish journalists.

According to a detailed analysis by The Mail on Sunday of the material claims that pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and AstraZeneca - both involved in the development of Coronavirus vaccines - employed a total 123 CCP loyalists. The analysis also claimed that there were over 600 party members across 19 branches working at the British banks HSBC and Standard Chartered in 2016.

READ | Tripura CM warns terrorists after abduction of workers: 'We know to do surgical strikes'

'CCP members have infiltrated Australian consulate'

While there is no evidence that anyone on the party membership list has spied for China - and many sign up simply to boost their career prospects - the report, quoting experts, says it defies credulity that some are not involved in espionage. Responding to the findings, an alliance of 30 MPs have said they would be tabling an urgent question about the issue in the British Parliament.  China has upped its espionage activities over the last few years, the report claims, and highlights that it's even been accused of political interference in Australia. 

READ | Republic CEO arrested LIVE updates: Vikas Khanchandani in Police remand for over 26 hours

According to another report, the loyal members of the Chinese Communist Party have infiltrated Australia's Shanghai consulate as well after being hired through a state-owned recruitment agency. A senior executive assistant who worked for Australia's Shanghai mission is listed in the leaked database as a Chinese Communist Party member.

READ | Punjab CM Amarinder slams Kejriwal's 1-day fast 'theatrics': 'Do you have no shame?'

The assistant has even previously helped organise parliamentary delegations. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been using a Chinese government hiring agency called the Shanghai Foreign Agency Service Department to employ all its local staff in China for at least the past five years, The Australian reported. 

READ | IRCTC sends 1.9 crore emails highlighting PM Modi's ties with Sikhs amid farmers' protest