Page 20 - The Economist20171214

20 The Economist December 16th 2017
Briefing China and the West

At the sharp end makers and civil servants, in the hope of
“gleaning information and recruiting
sources”. There have been reports of Chi-
nese agents trying to groom up-and-com-
ing politicians from Britain, especially
those with business links to the country.
And on December 13th America started to
The Chinese governmentis using stealth to shape publicopinion and mute learn of possible intervention, when the
criticism in othercountries
Congressional Executive Commission on
VER the past year Australia has been clearly worried. Further revelations China began hearings to lookinto Chinese
Ogripped by a tale ofsuspicion, subver- showed that two Chinese companies, one attempts to win political sway.
sion and spooks. In the latest chapter Sam run by Mr Huang, had (legally) donated
Dastyari, a Labor Party politician of Irani- A$6.7m ($5m) over a decade to Australia’s Piercing, not soft
an extraction, resigned from parliament on two main political parties. On December China’s approach could be called “sharp
December 12th. A recording had emerged 5th the governmentannounced legislation power”. Itstopswell shortofthe hard pow-
of him urging Australia to “respect” Chi- banning political donations from non-citi- er, wielded through military force or eco-
na’s territorial claims in the South China zens and requiring political lobbyists to re- nomic muscle; but it is distinct from the
Sea, contradicting the policy of both the veal ifthey are workingforforeigners. soft attraction of culture and values, and
government and his own party, and con- Australia is not alone. In September the more malign. Sharp powerisa term coined
firming earlier allegations against him. He Financial Times reported that a New Zea- by the National Endowment for Democra-
also tried to stop his party’s foreign-affairs land MP had taught at a Chinese spy col- cy (NED), a think-tank in Washington, DC,
spokesperson meeting a pro-democracy lege for years but had left that information funded mainly by Congress. It works by
activistin HongKong. Ayearearlier he had offhisCV when he laterapplied forcitizen- manipulation and pressure. Anne-Marie
been forced to leave his opposition post, ship. That prompted growing calls for Brady of the University of Canterbury in
after revelations that he had taken money more scrutiny of China’s influence over New Zealand refers to China’s intrusions
from HuangXiangmo, a Chinese business- the Chinese diaspora in New Zealand. as a “new global battle” to “guide, buy or
man with apparent links to the Chinese Canada’s intelligence services have long coerce political influence”.
Communist Party, at the same time as he been worried about infiltration: in 2010 The result is different from the cold
supported China’s territorial claims. they warned that several provincial cabi- war—less dangerous, but harder to deal
Widespread evidence of Chinese med- net ministers and government employees with. Whereas the Soviet Union and the
dling in politics and universities prompted were “agents ofinfluence”. Westwere sworn enemies, China isa keen-
an Australian spy chief to warn that his China seems to have been busy in Eu- ly courted trading partner that is investing
country was facing “an unprecedented rope, too. Germany’s spy agency this week huge sums beyond its borders (see chart 1
scale” of foreign interference. The coun- accused it of using social media to contact on next page). This naturally gives it influ-
try’s prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, is 10,000 German citizens, including law- ence, which it is using to shape debate 1