A leading researcher at Canada's highest-security institute provided confidential scientific information to a Chinese agency, held secret meetings with officials and “Canada'', according to a newly released intelligence report. posed a “real and credible threat to the economic security of the United States.”
The firing of Chiu Xiangguo and her husband, Keding Chen, has been shrouded in mystery since the couple were escorted from the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg in 2019 and officially fired two years later.
An intelligence assessment released late Wednesday afternoon says Qiu's “close and secret relationships” with Chinese agencies may have shown “reckless judgment” and undermined Canada's national security. did. The assessment was among more than 600 documents released after a long battle with opposition members who demanded information behind the dismissal.
Canadian intelligence agency CSIS concluded that Qiu repeatedly lied during security interviews about his affiliation with a research institute linked to the Chinese government. Even when he was confronted with contradictory evidence, “Ms. Qiu continued to deny the matter outright, pretend not to know, and continue to tell outright lies.”
In one instance, Qiu told investigators that a trip to China in 2018 was a personal vacation. But she ultimately admitted that her trip was paid for by the Wuhan Institute of Virology and that she met executives from the organization during her trip. Investigators also determined that Qiu would work at the Wuhan Institute of Virology for at least two months each year to strengthen China's “new and powerful biosecurity platform for infectious disease research,” according to the CSIS report. They also found evidence of a consented application form.
Qiu admitted to sending Ebola samples to China's National Institute for Food and Drug Administration, which was trying to develop an Ebola inhibitor. However, she did this without having a material transfer agreement or collaboration agreement in place.
Qiu also granted access to the lab to two employees of a Chinese institution “whose work is inconsistent with Canada's interests.”
Mr. Qiu and Mr. Cheng both filed complaints against their dismissals, but did not comment on the allegations in the documents. Their current whereabouts are unknown.
In a letter to Mr. Chen, the Public Health Bureau said that Mr. Chen's “close personal and professional relationship with Mr. Qiu Xiangguo” and “your own activities and your association with Mr. Qiu Xiangguo's individuals and organizations.” It said it had “serious concerns” about the lack of awareness and candor about its activities. of foreign governments. ”
Mr. Qiu was told the following by health authorities: [investigative] “Throughout the process, you expressed no remorse or regret,” he said, at times attempting to shift the blame to public health agencies.
“We cannot trust you not to abuse the trust placed in you and to carry out your assigned duties in a manner that reflects positively on PHAC and does not pose a security risk to the Government of Canada and PHAC.” said the authorities.
Canada's Liberal government has long resisted releasing the documents. The government initially released a heavily redacted document, but opposition parties were frustrated by the lack of candor from Justin Trudeau's government. A recent unity motion by opposition parties has finally forced the investigation to be made public.
Health Minister Mark Holland acknowledged “lax compliance with security and protocols” at the institute, which is overseen by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
But Mr Holland said there was “at no time” any state secrets or information from the lab had been leaked.
The Conservatives, who currently lead the Liberals by a wide margin in opinion polls, accused the Trudeau government of allowing the Chinese government to enter Canada's maximum-security laboratories.
“This was a massive national security failure by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government, and he fought tooth and nail to cover it up,” said Conservative Leader Pierre Poièvre.