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China Reveals Espionage Cases Involving Foreign Recruitment and Infiltration

Russian outlet Sputnik reported that China’s Ministry of State Security has warned of increasingly sophisticated methods used by foreign intelligence agencies – including money, seduction, emotional manipulation, and intimidation – to infiltrate targets and steal sensitive information.

One case involved “Xiao Zhe,” an 18-year-old Chinese exchange student in Taiwan. He was drawn into a romantic relationship with a woman posing as a senior student, who later coerced him into passing on sensitive research after he began working in a classified defense laboratory. Over time, he provided nearly 100 pieces of defense-related intelligence in exchange for payments before being exposed.

Another case centered on Zhang, a former Chinese ministry official cultivated by a foreign diplomat while stationed overseas. Zhang eventually spied for that country, fathered two children with a female official there, and secretly hoarded more than 5,000 classified documents, including dozens marked top secret. In 2019, he was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for espionage and illegally obtaining state secrets.

The ministry also cited examples from Guangdong, where two nationals, Li and Huang, were recruited online with offers of high pay. Li was tasked with reconnaissance near military facilities, while Huang used his job as a wedding photographer near a naval port to take almost 400 photos of warships. Both were arrested and sentenced, with Huang receiving 14 years in prison and the confiscation of his assets.

Source: Sputnik, September 4, 2025
https://sputniknews.cn/20250904/1067271620.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Government/Politics

Anti-CCP Slogans Projected on Chongqing High-Rise

On August 29, giant projection slogans denouncing the Chinese Communist Party lit up a high-rise in Chongqing University Town. The messages read:

  • “Down with Red Fascism, overthrow the CCP’s tyranny!”
  • “Only without the Communist Party can there be a New China; freedom is not a gift, it must be reclaimed!”
  • “Arise, those unwilling to be slaves—stand up and fight to reclaim your rights!”
  • “No more lies, we want truth; no more slavery, we want freedom. Down with the tyrannical Communist Party!”

The display lasted for more than 50 minutes, drawing crowds of onlookers and spreading quickly online. Police needed about an hour to identify the light source.

The protest was organized by Qi Hong, who is now in the UK with his family. He said he was inspired by Beijing “Bridge Man” Peng Lifa and the youth of the “White Paper Movement.” Before leaving China, Qi set up projection equipment in a local hotel and later triggered it remotely.

In the hotel room, he left a letter addressed to the police:
“Perhaps you are a beneficiary now, but I believe that within three generations—or even one—most people have suffered under CCP persecution. Please, within your ability, treat others kindly and do not harass the innocent. If forced to act, at least raise your gun slightly higher.”

Source: Epoch Times, August 31, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/8/31/n14584740.htm

Briefings | | |   @CS Government/Politics

Communist Party Groups Appear in Taiwan High School Campus

Recent reports from Taiwan reveal the emergence of multiple student-led groups identifying as “Communist Party-related organizations” on several high school campuses. One identified school is the Taipei Municipal Chien Kuo High School.

These groups, some even claiming positions like “General Secretary,” appeared on social media under names such as “Establish the Communist Party” and formed the “Taiwan Inter-School Communist Union.” At its peak, 39 schools – including Taipei Municipal Chenggong High School, Yongchun Senior High School, and Kaohsiung Municipal Chungshan Senior High School – were reportedly involved, raising public concerns about possible influence from mainland Chinese actors.

School authorities at Chenggong clarified that these groups were not officially sanctioned student organizations and emphasized Taiwan’s commitment to freedom of expression.

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council noted that communist ideology and utopian ideals can attract young people; they suggested students critically study the history of the Chinese Communist Party and international communist movements, as the communist theory and practice often differ sharply.

On August 21, the “Chien Kuo High School Communist Party” page issued a public statement distancing itself from the Chinese Communist Party. It confirmed that the organization was essentially defunct due to a small membership and many graduates leaving, and that the inter-school union could no longer function due to a lack of active members.

Source:
1. Central News Agency (Taiwan), August 21, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202508210275.aspx
2. United Daily News (Taiwan), August 21, 2025
https://udn.com/news/story/6898/8954552

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics

Speculations on the 82 Group Army

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Daily recently published an article titled “Rebuilding the Authority of Political Cadres in the 82nd Group Army.” The piece was notable for three reasons: it did not mention Xi Jinping, it emphasized “democratic centralism” (implicitly critiquing Xi’s more autocratic approach to government), and it advocated for restoration of the political authority of CCP cadres (hinting at a fix to Miao Hua’s military-political work).

The article stated: “When democratic centralism becomes the ‘golden key’ to consensus, when the fighting spirit becomes the ‘scalpel’ against entrenched problems, and when truth-telling becomes the ‘yardstick’ of combat readiness, the image and authority of political cadres will stand firm.”

Recently, reports surfaced online that during this year’s Beidaihe meetings, the 82nd Group Army (formerly the 38 Army) was deployed to Beijing and its neighboring area and also took over the defense of the Beidaihe venue. Large stockpiles of weapons and ammunition were reportedly stored in Beijing’s Zhongshan Park, with numerous barracks set up, and many military vehicles and tanks were stationed inside the city. The authorities said the activities were to prepare for a military parade scheduled for September 3, but in previous years’ military parades only saw defense deployments in suburban areas. There were reports that several buses blocked a line of tanks when they entered the city.

Commentator Chen Pokong noted that the PLA Daily ran this weighty article, conspicuously omitting Xi, rather than denying the rumors of (that a power struggle over the military could be ongoing).

Historically, the 38th Army played a major role in combat during the Korean War. It was repeatedly used in CCP power struggles. During the Tiananmen Massacre in 1989, it was deployed to suppress and kill protesters. In 2012, amid the power struggle between Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin, Hu’s faction deployed the 38th Army to Beijing to confront Jiang’s ally Zhou Yongkang, forcing Zhou into retreat. In 2015, Zhang Youxia led the 38th Army into Zhongnanhai to assist Xi Jinping in disarming the Central Guard Bureau and remove its chief Cao Qing and deputy chief Wang Qing.

Sources:
1. PLA Daily, August 16, 2025
http://www.mod.gov.cn/gfbw/wzll/yw_214068/16402940.html
2.  China News Center, August 20, 2025
https://chinanewscenter.com/archives/49294

Briefings | | |   @CS Defense/Military Government/Politics

Every Chinese Is Asking: Who Is Yang Lanlan?

In the early hours of July 27, a young lady crashed her Rolls-Royce worth AUD 1.5 million (US$ 1 million) into a Mercedes in an upscale eastern Sydney neighborhood. The Mercedes driver was seriously injured and hospitalized, while the lady was unharmed but arrested for drunk driving. Her lawyer later secured her release on bail.

It was said that the bail amount was AUD 70 million, or 323 million yuan. That huge amount caught Chinese netizens’ attention and the news was quickly wide-spreading among the Chinese community. New South Wales authorities later clarified that no monetary conditions were set for her bail, debunking the exaggerated claims circulating online.

The 23-year-old Chinese woman is named Yang Lanlan. She lives in a luxury ocean-view apartment in Sydney and is usually accompanied by a driver, assistant, and bodyguard. She owns multiple high-end cars, including an unregistered Rolls-Royce containing limited-edition Labubu dolls, and frequently wears designer brands. Despite media efforts, little personal information about her could be found, making her seem disconnected from ordinary society.

People believe she is a second-generation or third-generation of high-ranking Chinese officials. A bodyguard serving the local Chinese community noted that wealthy second-generation Chinese inherit family fortunes but live extremely low-profile lives. They hold private gatherings in their own homes, shop by appointment, and are always accompanied by security, making contact with outsiders nearly impossible.

Since there is no official information about who Yang Lanlan is, there has been much speculation about her.

One theory is that she has very high status. Someone said her bodyguard is Xu Zhengyang, a former Beijing Armed Police officer, who was one of the best trained bodyguards in China with job duty to serve the top officials in Zhongnanhai.

Another theory says that Yang, with 1.35 trillion RMB (US$ 190 billion) in deposits in Australia, is the daughter of Xi Jinping’s brother Xi Yuanping.

Another claims she is an illegitimate daughter of Xi Jinping.

A recent posting on X had that she flew to Hong Kong from Sydney on March 8, 2025 and was taken by 3 cars to Shenzhen to meet Qi Xin, Xi Jinping’s mother. This indicated that she is closely related to Xi’s family.

Another suggestion is that her great-grandparents might include General Yang Chengwu from Fujian province, a key PLA figure in the 1960s and 1970s who served as acting Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary-General of the Central Military Commission, and Qin Jiwei, a former Minister of Defense. Her grandfather, Yang Dongming, was a former Air Force deputy commander, and her grandmother, Qin Wanjiang, runs businesses. Allegedly, Yang Chengwu provided key assistance to Xi Jinping during his time in Fujian, and Xi is said to have looked after the Yang and Qin families.

Although the accident took place on July 27, it only became widely known in China on August 9. Some people feel this news was created and timed to make Xi Jinping look bad.

Sources:
1. Net Ease, August 9, 2025
https://www.163.com/dy/article/K6H42K740552MY16.html
2. Epoch Times, August 13, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/8/12/n14572291.htm
3. USOCCTN, August 12, 2025
https://usocctn.wordpress.com/2025/08/12/快递：杨兰兰是习远平前妻的女儿随母姓-灾民有家/
4. Secret China, August 14, 2025
https://www.secretchina.com/news/gb/2025/08/14/1086684.html
5. X, Shen Xue
https://x.com/ShengXue_ca/status/1957492509333926044

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics Social Stability

China Retaliates Against Czech President for Meeting with Dalai Lama

On July 27, Czech President Petr Pavel visited India and met with the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to congratulate him on his 90th birthday.

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated at a press conference on August 12 that Pavel disregarded China’s repeated protests and strong opposition by meeting the Dalai Lama in India. Lin said this action seriously violates the political commitment the Czech government made to China, undermines China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and therefore China will sever all contacts with Pavel.

The Czech Presidential Office responded on X, saying: “The President’s meeting with the Dalai Lama was entirely private in nature. At present, there is no direct communication between the Czech Republic and China at the presidential level, so this move has not changed the current situation.”

Source: Creaders.net, August 12, 2025
https://news.creaders.net/world/2025/08/12/2903015.html

Briefings | | |   @CS Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics

Major Ambassador Shakeup Targeting Wang Yi and Liu Jianchao

Xinhua News Agency reported on August 15, 2025, that Xi Jinping, in line with a decision by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, appointed and dismissed 20 ambassadors. Major reshuffles took place in Cameroon, Guinea, Cape Verde, Comoros, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Burkina Faso, Jamaica, Barbados, and Thailand.

Many of the dismissed ambassadors were longtime associates of Wang Yi. For instance, Han Zhiqiang, recalled from Thailand, served as chief of staff when Wang Yi was foreign minister (2016–2018). Yan Xiusheng, removed from Barbados, had been the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) secretary at the Foreign Ministry from 2013 to 2018.

Several others were linked to Liu Jianchao, head of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) International Liaison Department (ILD). Foreign media reported that after Liu returned from visits to Singapore, South Africa, and Algeria on July 30, he was taken in for questioning in early August, and his residence was searched.

Those affected include Qian Naicheng, ambassador to Turkmenistan and longtime ILD official, and Zhang Jianwei, former ILD Middle East and North Africa Bureau director, who became China’s Ambassador to Kuwait in 2022 and was just now reassigned to Thailand. Also dismissed was Lu Shan, 54, ambassador to Burkina Faso and Liu Jianchao’s fellow Beijing Foreign Studies University alumnus, who had frequent ties with Liu at the Foreign Ministry.

Source: Epoch Times, August 15, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/8/15/n14574441.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Yonhap News Agency: Seoul Police Probe Right-Wing Group for Insulting China

The Seoul Namdaemun Police Station recently summoned members of the right-wing group “Free University,” which supports former President Yoon Suk-yeol, to appear for questioning on August 11. On the evening of July 22, around 8 p.m., the group held a rally near the Chinese Embassy in Jung-gu, Seoul, condemning alleged election fraud. During the rally, they tore a banner printed with the Chinese national flag and portraits of President Xi Jinping and Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming, insulting the embassy.

Article 108 of South Korea’s Criminal Act stipulates that insulting or defaming foreign envoys stationed in South Korea may result in imprisonment for up to three years or detention.

Source: Yonhap News Agency, August 10, 2025
https://cn.yna.co.kr/view/ACK20250810000200881

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Government/Politics