A former Chinese undercover spy exposes the tactics used by the Chinese secret police to kidnap residents overseas. Image source: Ermell via Wikimedia Commons.
A former spy working for China’s secret police unit exposes the inner operations targeting dissidents living in Australia and overseas, according to a Four Corners investigation.
China’s secret police is notorious for being one of the most powerful and feared intelligence units in China.
The spy, named Eric, worked undercover for a unit within China’s federal police and the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) between 2008 and 2023.
“It is the darkest department in the Chinese government,” Eric said.
The unit, known as the Political Security Protection Bureau, was used by the Chinese Communists Party (CCP) to spy on, kidnap, and silence people who criticised any aspects of the party.
“When dealing with people who oppose the CCP, they can behave as if these people are not protected by the law. They can do whatever they want to them,” said Eric.
Eric was tasked by handlers to hunt down residents overseas using elaborate cover stories under different identities, including a real estate executive and anti-CCP freedom fighter, to lure them into traps where they could be abducted and taken back to China.
In 2023, the Australia Federal Police (AFP) uncovered a Chinese intelligence agency targeting Australian residents, including Ewin Yin — a political activist in Syndey who has posted videos criticising President Xi, a Chinese politician part of the CCP.
In an operation in 2018, Eric revealed that he was asked to target Mr Yin.
The Chinese government are asking for Mr Yin’s return over allegations of several accounts of financial frauds. Mr Yin claims he was framed.
“They [the Chinese secret police] certainly have established a support system in Australia,” commented Eric.
Last month, Safeguard Defenders reported more than 280 cases of residents and citizens being escorted back to China without the AFP’s approval.
“These successful operations — or even the attempts at operations that turn out not to be successful — are a clear violation of Australia’s sovereignty,” said Laura Harth, campaigns director at human rights NGO Safeguard Defenders.
“The MPS sent officials … to Australia [in 2019] to have a so-called heart-to-heart with a female who was then persuaded to come back.
“They used the [Australian] Chinese consulate-general and embassy to help them.”
“Under Australian Law, that is a crime,” said a spokeswoman for the AFP, “[We] will never endorse or facilitate a foreign agency to come to Australia to intimidate or force foreign nationals to return home”.
Eric’s full name has not been revealed by Four Corners due to concerns of the former spy’s safety.
