OTTAWA - Canadian opposition lawmakers pressed the government to crack down
on alleged Chinese espionage during the House of Commons question period.
"Reports show that the Chinese spies were and are tapping phones, waging
campaigns of threats and harassment," Deputy Conservative Leader Peter
Mackay said, repeating accusations made this week by two former Chinese
officials who defected to Australia.
"China has a huge interest in owning our natural resources and
dominating our economy. Our country is losing billions (of dollars) through
economic espionage," he told Parliament.
Earlier, former Chinese diplomat Chen Yonglin and policeman Hao Fengjun
claimed their government had some 1,000 agents spying and harassing Canadian
members of the Falun Gong spiritual movement [...].
Chen abandoned his post as first secretary at the Chinese consulate-general
in Sydney last month while Hao defected in February.
Both men, interviewed this week by the Australian Security and Intelligence
Organisation, are seeking asylum in Australia, claiming their lives would be in
danger if forced to return home.
Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan retorted: "We're fully aware of the
allegations that have been made in relation to the presence of some in this
country who may be carrying on certain activities that are unacceptable."
"CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) is doing everything that
is necessary to ensure the collective security of Canadians," she said.
"The prime minister has discussed issues of sovereignty and other issues
when he was in China some months ago," she added, describing Canada's
relationship with its second-biggest trading partner after the United States as
"complex."
[...]
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