United Front Work Department

China
CCP's Central Party School squad work on Xi's image

To rebuild his image as the leader of the people, President Xi Jinping has been increasingly calling on two senior officials he knew from his time at the helm of the Central Party School, Li Shulei and Shi Taifeng.

China
Recruitment drive for key posts at Chinese propaganda and United Front Work departments

President Xi Jinping is pressing the Chinese Communist Party to improve its capacity for dealing with the country's most sensitive issues, including Tibet, Taiwan, patriotism among students studying abroad and military-civil fusion.

Thailand
China casts shadow over Bangkok telecoms market

The merger of Thailand's second and third largest mobile telephone operators, True Corp and DTAC, will create a national behemoth, benefitting True's Chinese-Thai owner CP Group, that will control the new entity's data centres.

The Intelligence Gazette
Kovalchuk clan in Kremlin, INIS fights corruption, Washington in Riyadh, Beijing and its reservists, China's model ambassador in Paris

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community from Moscow to Baghdad, via Washington, Riyadh and Beijing.

RussiaKovalchuk clan adds another link to Kremlin spymasters

IraqINIS helps with Sudani's crackdown on corruption

United States/Saudi ArabiaWashington calls for greater intelligence sharing with Gulf Cooperation Council

ChinaBeijing relies on reserves to expand PLA

ChinaLu Shaye, ambassador in Paris, in Beijing's good graces

China
'Shaanxi Gang' on the rise during Xi's third term

From anti-corruption campaigns to the Central Military Commission, more and more strategic Chinese Communist Party positions are being filled by members who hail from or forged their political career in the president's home province of Shaanxi.

China
Beyond Taiwan headlines, China lays ground for more regional conflicts

The security-focused conclusions of the Chinese Communist Party Congress went beyond the international headline issue of Taiwan. Beijing is already considering diplomatic and intelligence manoeuvres to aid its expansion into other territories.

China
Zhi Gong party called on to play expanding role in growth of Chinese influence

As he begins his third term of office, Xi Jinping plans to rely increasingly on the Zhi Gong party to strengthen his influence in China and abroad. The party has the advantage of being able to produce officials who are loyal even if they do not have formal membership of the Chinese Communist Party.

China
Beijing's influence strategy drives China's penetration of Pacific Isles

China's new influence strategy, United Front, has led to an unprecedented military pact in the Solomon Islands. Intelligence Online reveals the networks of influence that have enabled Beijing to secure its foothold.

China, United Kingdom
United Front expands soft power with new operations centre in London

The Chinese Overseas Foundation, which typically operates through non-profit associations based in China, has decided to open a London centre.

China
China's PLA and United Front launch recruitment drive

Beijing's defence and influence structures have launched a campaign to recruit top students from the sciences. Universities close to the Chinese People's Liberation Army are lining up to ensure they benefit from the initiative.

China, United States
Pangu Lab, Chinese ally of Singapore's zero-day reseller Coseinc, exposes NSA cyber operations

Close to Singapore's zero-day vulnerabilities broker Coseinc and Chinese cybersecurity giant Qi An Xin, China's Pangu Lab has published a lengthy report on a threat campaign attributed to the NSA-linked advance persistent threat group Equation Group.

China
China Center for Globalization helps Beijing attract foreign investment

The China Center for Globalization, affiliated with the United Front Work Department, has a number of Western advisers on its board and is growing in influence.

Central Europe, China
Chinese think tank lays down roots in central Europe

The Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences now houses a Visegrad Group research centre through which it can push Chinese interests - and influence - in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

Canada, China
Huawei hires more lobbyists in Ottawa amid increasing scrutiny

The telecommunications giant hopes to reassure Canadian officials in the wake of an parliamentary report that flagged up extensive Chinese influence operations in the country.

China
Iristar carves role as biometrics expert to Gonganbu and partner to high-tech industries

The facial and iris recognition company Iristar grew out of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. One of its executives is also a deputy director of Beijing's Hong Kong Liaison Office.

China, France
Shandong University, close to Chinese defence sector, expands reach in Britanny

The university recently participated in an environmental conference with officials from Brittany, a highly strategic military region that has seen increasing Chinese influence and drawn scrutiny from French intelligence services.

Spotlight | China, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Aerospace to help monitor cities for Beijing

Several executives at the satellite company Hong Kong Aerospace Technology Group (HKATG) have ties with China's United Front Work Department, which is responsible for influence campaigns abroad.