[International] China's United Front's Para-Diplomatic Network Spans the Globe; Australian Expert Advocates Taiwan Establish Database for Countermeasures
bellala 央廣3h ago
Australian cybersecurity and national security expert Geoff Wade points out that China has established a vast "para-diplomatic network" globally. To counter this, the international community needs to create a "global public database" to help democratic societies understand China's methods of expanding political influence abroad and formulate countermeasures. He believes Taiwan is the ideal location to establish such a database.
In an article published on the ASPI website on the 17th, Geoff Wade, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's (ASPI) Cyber, Technology, and Security Program, stated that the United Front Work Department of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) mobilizes overseas Chinese through the China Council for the Promotion of Peaceful National Reunification (CCPPNR). In multiple countries, it fosters groups that support and promote "peaceful reunification." Through these ostensibly unofficial groups, it constructs the world's largest "para-diplomatic network."
The article provides examples: in May this year, various groups in countries such as Niger, Cameroon, Tanzania, Chad, and Angola issued identically worded statements promoting "peaceful reunification," expressing dissatisfaction with President Lai Ching-te's speech on May 20th. Similar groups in Congo, Guinea, and Mozambique publicly criticized President Lai's visit to Eswatini, while a similar group in Namibia attacked the Paraguayan president's visit to Taiwan.
Wade explains that these groups claim to be local grassroots organizations, but they are not genuine independent civil society groups. Instead, they are part of a global network centered around the CCPPNN, dedicated to expanding China's influence abroad. Their operation involves the CCPPNN setting the propaganda narrative, which is then widely disseminated by cooperating "peaceful reunification" groups worldwide.
In an email response to Central News Agency's questions, Wade stated that these so-called "peaceful reunification" groups scattered across the globe are just the tip of the iceberg of the CCP's United Front network.
He said, "For half a century, China has built the world's largest 'para-diplomatic influence network.' The groups under this network in various countries not only exert influence at social, political, and economic levels but also collect intelligence for the CCP, sometimes even involving espionage."
Wade points out that democratic countries should focus on high political transparency and enhanced analytical research to deal with CCP United Front groups and their threats to democratic societies.
He stated, "In Australia, hundreds of groups cooperate with China's United Front propaganda. The United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, South Korea, and even New Zealand have similarly large numbers. The CCP and the Chinese government encourage the establishment of such organizations to control overseas Chinese and expand China's influence abroad."
Wade emphasizes that to effectively counter the CCP's political propaganda and influence expansion, it is crucial to understand the components, operational methods, and coordination mechanisms of China's "para-diplomatic network." For this purpose, the international community can rely on Taiwan's strength.
He said, "The activities of these groups are conducted almost entirely in Chinese, and related reports appear almost exclusively in Chinese media, making it difficult for political observers in non-Chinese speaking countries to notice. Taiwan can play an important role in helping the international community understand the activities of these United Front groups and other organizations dedicated to expanding China's influence."
Wade believes Taiwan should establish a global public database specifically to record the activities of CCP influence organizations worldwide and to map the relationships between similar global institutions.
He stated, "Taiwan understands the CCP and its operational methods better than anywhere else in the world. Therefore, Taiwan is the best location to establish a dedicated research institution on CCP United Front organizations and their global activities."
Wade believes that if Taiwan establishes such a research institution, it will not only provide valuable information to the international community but also strengthen Taiwan's connections with all countries worldwide concerned about the CCP, Chinese influence, and Chinese espionage activities.
He said, "This will be a public asset that benefits the entire world. The international community will be able to understand the operations of the CCP's United Front and other influence channels more effectively." (Editor: Song Wanyuan)
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=215717
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