A Former Federal Agent’s Insight Into How the CCP Turns Young Expats Into Spies

Young Chinese nationals are targeted by the CCP to work as spies via methods like financial incentives, career opportunities, grooming, or coercion.

Police arrest a woman in her 30s in the ACT. Courtesy of AFP

Young Chinese nationals living overseas are targeted by the CCP to work as spies via methods like financial incentives, career opportunities, online grooming, or outright coercion, says a former Australian Federal Police (AFP) agent.

Paul Johnstone’s comments come in response to the arrest of three Chinese nationals, who have been charged with reckless foreign interference for allegedly spying on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) targeting the Canberra-based Buddhist group Guan Yin Citta.