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British Advertising Firm Fires Executive Detained in China Amid Anti-Espionage Campaign

The company fired the GroupM China executives who is currently detained in China on suspicion of bribery and is conducting an internal investigation into it.
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British Advertising Firm Fires Executive Detained in China Amid Anti-Espionage Campaign
Branding signage for WPP, the largest global advertising and public relations agency, at its offices in London on July 17, 2019. Toby Melville/Reuters
By Alex Wu
10/29/2023Updated: 11/1/2023
0:00

The British multinational advertising giant WPP has fired a China executive of its advertising procurement department who is currently detained in China along with two former employees of the firm on suspicion of bribery and is conducting an internal investigation into the matter, the company stated on Oct. 24.

The Economic Crime Investigation Division of the Shanghai Police said on Oct. 21 that three suspects from an unnamed advertising company were being detained on suspicion of bribery.

Later, it was reported that the police statement referred to the detention of one current employee and two former employees of GroupM, an advertising procurement department of WPP, in China, according to Chinese media.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the executive who was still employed by WPP when he was detained is named Di Fei. Two other executives who were detained by the Chinese police had left GroupM before Chinese authorities raided its offices in Shanghai earlier this month.
WPP stated that it can’t comment on the details of an active police investigation.

CCP’s Anti-Espionage Actions

This is following the formal arrest on Oct. 19 for alleged espionage of a Japanese businessman in his 50s who worked for Japanese drugmaker Astellas Pharma in China. He has been detained by the Chinese police since March.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno speaks at a press conference at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Sept. 5, 2022. (Kyodo News via AP)
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno speaks at a press conference at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Sept. 5, 2022. Kyodo News via AP

“We have also strongly urged China for an immediate release at various levels, and we will continue to do so,” Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said in response.

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With its current sluggish economy, China is in great need of foreign production orders, technology, management, and funds, so it has relaxed restrictions, such as those on foreign investment in the manufacturing sector.

However, ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping has continued to emphasize the CCP’s political security.

The CCP recently revised its Anti-Espionage Law, further targeting foreign nationals, foreign businesses in China, and Chinese nationals who have overseas connections. The law came into effect on July 1.

The closed office of the Mintz Group is seen in an office building in Beijing on March 24, 2023. Five Chinese employees at the Beijing office of U.S. due-diligence firm Mintz Group have been detained by authorities, the company stated on March 24. (GREG BAKER/AFP)
The closed office of the Mintz Group is seen in an office building in Beijing on March 24, 2023. Five Chinese employees at the Beijing office of U.S. due-diligence firm Mintz Group have been detained by authorities, the company stated on March 24. GREG BAKER/AFP

This year, there have been many cases of raids on foreign companies’ offices in China and arrests of foreign companies’ employees, such as the detention of employees of the U.S. investigation firm Mintz Group, which has scared off foreign business people.

Some foreign company executives are now afraid to travel to China for business.

Alex Wu
Alex Wu
Author
Alex Wu is a U.S.-based writer for The Epoch Times focusing on Chinese society, Chinese culture, human rights, and international relations.
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Related Topics
WPP
anti-espionage law
GroupM
Shanghai police
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