The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) is concerned about China’s talent recruitment programs in the country. The organization believes this may result in the loss of confidential and sensitive information. Therefore, it warns both Canadian officials and scientists about the potential dangers associated with this campaign.
In an alert sent to federal employees earlier this month and viewed by CBC, CSIS flagged a large-scale email campaign aimed at attracting workers to a talent recruitment program abroad.
These types of talent recruitment and technology transfer initiatives may result in the diversion of Government of Canada resources and the loss of proprietary and sensitive information.
The notification includes a photo of the recruitment email titled “2024 Invitation for Overseas Talents to Apply for the Global Excellent Scientists Fund in China.”
According to CSIS, the email asks for extensive personal information and promises salaries between $95,000 and $374,000.
According to the security alert, the Chinese Communist Party supports such initiatives to support espionage and foreign interference activities.
These policies and plans aim to leverage the collaborative, transparent and open nature of Canada’s research and innovation sector to serve the economic, security and military interests of the People’s Republic of China, CSIS adds.
China operates more than 200 talent programs
CSIS spokesman Eric Balsam said the alert was sent to all federal departments with instructions to raise awareness among their employees.
He added that he could not say whether Canadian government employees had applied for the Chinese talent program.
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Aerial view of CSIS headquarters in Ottawa.
Photo: Google Maps
CSIS mentions that there are more than 200 talent recruitment programs in China and that they are strictly controlled by Beijing.
According to the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), such programs bring in knowledge from outside China and sometimes involve the theft of trade secrets, violations of export control laws, or the violation of conflict of interest policies.
Participants enter into a contract that generally requires them to comply with Chinese laws, report new developments or technological advances only to China and recruit other experts – often their own colleagues – into the program, according to the FBI.
Canadian intelligence also posted a warning on social media this week to academics and researchers to be wary of offers of high-paying internships or co-op opportunities, but did not specifically target China.
Towards a Register of Foreign Agents
This warning from CSIS comes as Ottawa is in the midst of a consultation process to establish a registry aimed at preventing foreign interference.
Such a registry would require individuals acting on behalf of a foreign state to advance its goals to disclose their connections to the government that uses them to advance its interests.
The aim is to make these activities more transparent, with non-compliance subject to fines or even prison sentences.
At the same time, Judge Marie-Josée Hogue continues her work within the Commission on Foreign Interference in Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions.
It is due to submit a preliminary report on February 29, but the opposition is demanding more transparency.
Based on a text by Catherine Tunney, CBC News