Seven Former New Zealand Defence Personnel Discovered Training Chinese Communist Party’s Military
The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) has issued a warning that skilled and experienced former defence personnel are training the military of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to enhance its ‘capability and lethality.’
Just weeks after reports surfaced that New Zealand’s intelligence agency was hosting foreign spy equipment and Beijing hackers had breached government agencies, the NZSIS confirmed that seven former NZ Defence Force personnel had been involved in training the CCP military.
NZSIS Director-General Andrew Hampton informed the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament that these individuals were recruited in the past 18 months by the Test Flying Academy in South Africa to provide support in military and aviation training, as part of China’s plan to enhance the capability and lethality of its army.
Mr. Hampton expressed concern stating, “The training and expertise they were imparting was acquired through previous service with allied militaries and the New Zealand Defence Force. This kind of activity poses a significant national security risk and is not in the best interest of New Zealand to have former military personnel training forces that do not align with our values.”
All seven individuals have ceased their training roles following “threat mitigation activities” conducted by the NZSIS, both locally and in partner countries like Australia.
Mr. Hampton cautioned that there is a risk of other New Zealanders being enticed by lucrative salaries to take their place.
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The director-general highlighted the increasing complexity of the foreign interference and espionage landscape due to geostrategic competition.
He informed lawmakers that NZSIS had observed attempts by state actors or their proxies to covertly establish long-term influence within New Zealand’s political environment and cautioned that businesses and local governments were also at risk.
Additionally, Mr. Hampton expressed concern about the “monitoring and harassment of ethnic communities,” noting that such activities were becoming more sophisticated and insidious.
He stressed that foreign states like China or Iran have ways to intimidate individuals who speak out against them, labeling such actions as unacceptable in New Zealand.
However, he clarified, “When referencing these countries, I am specifically addressing the state and its representatives, not the general populace of China or Iran, certainly not members of those communities in New Zealand, who we need to safeguard.”
On a more positive note, he reassured that the national terrorism threat level in New Zealand is currently low, indicating potential for a terrorist attack, though there is no specific threat at present.
He cautioned, “There is sufficient hateful rhetoric online to suggest a motivation for an attack, and a few known violent extremists continue to be of significant concern.”
He also noted a shift in motivation among violent extremists from faith, identity, and politics to more personalized and fluid ideologies devoid of strong allegiance to any specific extremist group, indicating a shift in the subjects of concern for the intelligence service.
