The annual report by the Czech Security Information Service, released on September 12, underlines China’s covert activities within the Czech Republic. These efforts include the creation of fake LinkedIn profiles and the use of financial incentives to gather intelligence and build networks of influencers. The report underscores that China poses a significant threat to Euro-Atlantic civilization, including the Czech Republic. It warns that falling under China’s influence could lead to the gradual erosion of technological and strategic knowledge, benefiting a regime based on communist dictatorship. This regime undermines the core values of democracy and the free market, which are the foundations of Western society. The report serves as a stark warning about the potential dangers of China’s covert actions.
The agency disclosed that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has leveraged its diplomatic mission to conduct intelligence operations on Prague’s political landscape as part of its broader influence efforts in the Czech Republic. Intelligence agents were sent to establish relationships with local influential figures, including academics, to gain access to “non-public information” and to better understand the Czech environment. This initiative is intended to enhance China’s influence and control in the region.
A key focus of the report is on Chinese intelligence agents targeting Czech academics via fake LinkedIn profiles. Posing as representatives of fictional consulting or headhunting firms based in Hong Kong or Singapore, these operatives request research or reports on topics of political interest to China, offering financial rewards in exchange. These initial requests often lead to deeper cooperation, eventually involving the transfer of sensitive information.
Once foreign scholars agree to produce these reports, Chinese agents often extend invitations for fully-funded trips to China. The aim is to cultivate a network of contacts who feel a sense of obligation and may later support Chinese interests in the Czech Republic. These invitations are not limited to academics but are also extended to former and current political figures, representatives from national and local governments, and influential business leaders.
The report stresses that participants in Chinese-sponsored activities could be approached by Chinese intelligence or used for propaganda purposes. The hospitality extended by the Chinese regime creates a sense of obligation, which could later be exploited. This report adds to a growing body of global allegations of Chinese espionage, raising concerns about the CCP’s activities worldwide.
In the United States, for example, Linda Sun, a former high-ranking aide in the New York governor’s office, was recently convicted for acting as an agent for the CCP in exchange for millions of dollars in business and other benefits. Similarly, in the United Kingdom, a parliamentary researcher who had worked for a senior lawmaker in the Conservative Party was charged with passing confidential information to Beijing, along with another man, in April. These incidents point to the increasing concern about China’s covert operations and espionage on a global scale.
In Germany, authorities arrested a long-serving aide to a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) in April, suspecting him of spying on Chinese dissidents for the CCP’s secret service. Earlier in January, Belgian prosecutors launched an investigation into former senator Frank Creyelman for allegedly accepting bribes from CCP spies to influence European discussions.
The Czech intelligence agency also expressed deep concern over the CCP’s efforts to silence critics and spread propaganda. It noted that Beijing is especially focused on suppressing dissent and closely monitors events it considers a threat to its authoritarian rule. The CCP’s primary targets, known as the “five poisons,” include Falun Gong practitioners, Uyghurs, Tibetans, supporters of Taiwanese independence, and democracy advocates in China.
Whenever Chinese authorities become aware of an event in the Czech Republic where China might be criticized, they reportedly take systematic steps to gather sensitive information about the event’s location, content, and participants. This proactive approach helps China mitigate potential criticism and control its narrative.
In 2023, Czech intelligence noted collaboration between Czech and Chinese media, finding that Chinese-produced content was being distributed to smaller local TV channels. This content, designed to influence Czech public opinion, emphasizes the positive aspects of China’s communist regime while downplaying or denying human rights abuses, the oppression of ethnic minorities, and territorial aggression. The report highlights China’s focus on maintaining a positive global image, actively working to suppress any narrative that could harm its portrayal as a peaceful global power.
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