The recent arrest of an assistant to German MEP Maximilian Krah, who is a main candidate for the far-right AFD party in the upcoming elections for the Strasbourg assembly, has brought attention to Beijing’s extensive intelligence operations in Western countries. This unofficial espionage work has been facilitated by a 2017 law that requires all Chinese citizens living abroad to cooperate by providing information to their home country.
According to Cyber Security expert Antonio Teti, author of ‘China Intelligence’, this law mandates organizations and citizens to support national intelligence work and maintain confidentiality. This means that every Chinese company or citizen, regardless of their location, can be used as a platform for collecting information. This strategy has been likened to an anthill by Alberto Manenti, former director of the Aise, with Chinese intelligence operatives working tirelessly to collect and piece together vast amounts of information.
Meanwhile, the use of academic ghostwriting services has also garnered attention online. Discussions about the role of ghostwriters in academic writing and the ethics surrounding their work have been taking place in various forums. Some argue that ghostwriters take an individualized approach in academic writing, while others question the impact these services have on academic integrity. As such, it is important to consider privacy, security and ethical considerations when it comes to intelligence operations and academic writing.