דוח חושף: סין מפעילה רשת של מתנדבים-מרגלים בעולם

a network of Chinese volunteers acting as eyes for Beijing in the West. And according to a report from human rights organization Safeguard Defenders, its operation spans five continents, including the U.S. Worth noting, the network is separate from the overseas Chinese police stations we recently reported on. Instead, these are volunteers for Chinese embassies and consulates. Chinese embassies and consulates have been running a global network of volunteers for at least a decade. Experts say they can act as quasi-spies. Its purpose is to allow overseas Chinese act as informants for the Chinese Communist Party. It could make local Chinese residents feel threatened, and it's posing a huge threat to the society. And it seems most host nations are unaware of the networks on their home turf. The Safeguard Defenders report noted that on the surface, these volunteers handle administrative tasks like sending advisories to Chinese citizens living overseas. But the concern is that they could help Beijing control overseas Chinese communities. Many Chinese spy cases in the U.S. have been linked to these communities. Another report is also shedding light on the issue put out by the U.K. Parliament's House of Commons Intelligence and Security Committee. It says Beijing is also deeply interested in the political views of Chinese diaspora overseas, at times encouraging or coercing them to align with the Chinese regime's interests. A Chinese minister-counselor for Italy has said she hopes all consular volunteers will keep the, quote, motherland in mind and build an overseas Chinese security system. So where are these networks based? The report said they can be found in dozens of countries across five continents, from the U.S. to the U.K., Japan, Italy, France and Chile. These networks are reportedly linked to the Office of Overseas Chinese Affairs. Canada described the office as an espionage operation last year.