An alleged Chinese spy is said to have spent several years with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), despite longstanding warnings from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).
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Last December, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrested Wanping Zheng, a 61-year-old Chinese national. The latter is accused of “breach of trust by a public official” because he used his position to help a Chinese airline obtain strategic contracts in Iceland.
However, as CBC News reported on Sunday, Mr. Zheng was the subject of three reports to the CSA in 2015 and 2016. CSIS was then concerned about whether the man had access to information about certain intellectual property technologies belonging to ASC.
In 2017, CSIS even refused to hold a planned presentation for CSA members after learning that Wanping Zheng was to attend, CBC reported.
Faced with concerns of the counter-espionage service, the space agency decided in 2017 to renew Mr. Cheng’s security clearance for only two years, while this period is generally 10 years.
“When concerns were raised about the individual’s activities outside of work, the ASC took action, including an internal investigation and restrictions on access to information,” the company said. Tennis Court.
Wanping Zheng is scheduled to return to court later this week.
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