Canadian intelligence officials have warned federal departments about an individual they believe is trying to obtain sensitive information for China’s spy services, Global News has learned.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service confirmed on Friday that it had issued an “espionage advisory” to government departments and universities, notifying them about the person.
“We can confirm that an espionage advisory was shared with certain federal departments and universities regarding a person who is attempting to obtain sensitive and privileged Canadian information on behalf of the People’s Republic of China intelligence services,” a CSIS spokesperson said.
“CSIS advised recipients to use extreme caution when dealing with this person and avoid discussing confidential and sensitive information with them. We also advised that suspicious encounters with this individual should be reported to the appropriate security officials.”
The CSIS spokesperson, Eric Balsam, said the intelligence service issued such warnings as part of its effort to “protect and safeguard sensitive and privileged Canadian information.”
“We do not hesitate to take measures, including the issuance of espionage advisories, to warn stakeholders within and outside the Government of Canada, as appropriate, about national security threats.”
In its response to Global News, CSIS would not say exactly when the advisory was shared, except that it was “in recent weeks.”
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Nor did CSIS name the individual believed to be seeking information for China, or the departments and universities that are allegedly being targeted.
But the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is considered Canada’s top counter-intelligence threat, and has long tried to steal research and technology from Western countries.
The first suspect to be prosecuted in Canada for economic espionage, electric vehicle battery researcher Yuesheng Wang, was arrested in 2022 for allegedly obtaining trade secrets for China while employed at Hydro-Québec.
He faced new charges last year.
The government announced in 2021 that a scientist at Winnipeg’s infectious disease laboratory and her husband had been fired over concerns about allegedly sharing information with China.
“The PRC has repeatedly shown that it is willing to use clandestine and deceptive means to acquire intellectual property and emerging technologies,” CSIS said in its annual report last month.
Beijing is particularly interested in getting its hands on Canada’s artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology and aerospace technology to boost its industry and military, the report said.
“With its advanced economy and cutting-edge research expertise, in 2024, Canada was a frequent target of pernicious PRC activities that threatened Canada’s economic prosperity,” it added.
In response to “hostile actors” seeking Canadian space technology, CSIS said it had significantly increased the number of security briefings it provided to those working in the field.
“These briefings raised awareness of the increasing threats to the Canadian space sector and sought to harden the Canadian space sector against espionage and sabotage perpetrated by adversarial foreign states, including Russia and China.”
Last week, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said the federal government had ordered Chinese surveillance camera system company Hikvision to close its Canadian business and leave the country over national security concerns.
The Hogue Commission identified China as “the most active perpetrator of foreign interference targeting Canada’s democratic institutions. The PRC views Canada as a high-priority target.”
China also “poses the most sophisticated and active cyber threat to Canada and CSIS assesses it as increasingly using social media and the Internet for disinformation campaigns involving elections,” the Commission wrote.
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