Prague, Sept 4 (CTK) – Chinese spies were increasing their influence in the Czech Republic in 2014 and they gathered information from politicians and civil servants, especially about politics, the BIS counter-intelligence service writes in its annual report released on its web page Friday.
The BIS paid more attention to China in its previous annual report released last year. In the latest report it describes the activities of Chinese spies in one sentence only.
“As for the Chinese establishment and its intelligence services, in 2014 they put emphasis on influence infiltration of Czech political and state structures and the gathering of political news, with an active support from some Czech citizens, including politicians and civil servants,” the latest report writes.
In the report on 2013, the BIS wrote that Russian and Chinese independent spies often came to the Czech Republic disguised as academics, tourists and businesspeople, operating alongside the agents covered by diplomacy.
China primarily used economic arguments to support Chinese political interests in the Czech Republic.
The eastern agents had an important partner for “open, semi-secret and secret influence operations” in selected Czechs who helped them consciously or unconsciously, the BIS report from last year wrote.
It also warned against cyber-security risks in connection with activities of the Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE on the Czech market. Both companies were suspected of collaboration with the Chinese intelligence services and participation in intelligence activities, BIS wrote.
