On Wednesday (28th February), the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) published an intelligence assessment, according to which a scientist dismissed from Canada‘s leading infectious disease laboratory purposefully shared scientific data with China, possibly endangering public health. The termination of Xiangguo Qiu and her husband, Keding Cheng, has remained veiled in secrecy since the couple was escorted from Winnipeg’s National Microbiology Laboratory in 2019 and officially dismissed two years later. According to the documents, CSIS conducted multiple security screenings of the couple.
The experts and their students worked at the Level 4 virology facility at the National Microbiology Lab (NML) in Winnipeg, capable of dealing with the most dangerous and lethal human and animal infections. The dismissal of this couple triggered concerns about Chinese espionage and led to heated demands in Parliament for more information.
According to the records, the service had a more optimistic initial evaluation of Qiu’s motive, stating in the spring of 2020 that she may be “susceptible… based on the belief in the power of science to help humanity.” But, as the probe progressed, CSIS’s fears grew. A few months later, CSIS reported that Qiu was utilising the level 4 facility in Canada “as a base to assist China to improve its capability to fight highly pathogenic pathogens” and had “achieved brilliant results.”
Qiu gave Beijing “the Ebola genetic sequence, which opened a door of convenience for China,” according to CSIS. CSIS accused Qiu of being involved in many “talent programmes” run and sponsored by various Chinese businesses. These programmes “boost China’s national technological capabilities and may pose a serious threat to research institutions, including government research facilities, by incentivizing economic espionage and theft of intellectual property,” according to the assessment by the CSIS.
CSIS wrote, “The service assesses that Ms. Qiu developed deep, cooperative relationships with a variety of People’s Republic of China (PRC) institutions and has intentionally transferred scientific knowledge and materials to China to benefit the PRC Government, and herself, without regard for the implications to her employer or Canada’s interests.”
It added, “Because of her extensive knowledge of the harmful effects of dangerous pathogens on human health, Ms Qiu should have been aware of the possibility that her efforts to engage clandestinely with the PRC in these research areas could harm Canadian interests or international security.” Qiu appeared for interviews with CSIS. When asked about her ties to China, the intelligence service claimed she “repeatedly lied” during those conversations.
According to the CSIS paper, Qiu was “reckless” regarding the lack of proper scientific processes for transferring pathogens “and in working with institutions whose goals have potentially lethal military applications that are manifestly not in the interests of Canada or its citizens.” The report also stated that she admitted two employees from a PRC university “whose work is not aligned with Canadian interests” to the National Microbiology Lab.
The report said, “Because of adverse features of character — dishonesty, reckless judgement and lack of respect for accepted rules and norms — Ms Qiu has acted, may act and may be induced to act in a way that constitutes a threat to the security of Canada.”
Health Minister of Canada Mark Holland stated that China’s impact on Canada’s scientific community “was not known to the extent it is today.” He said, “These were eminent scientists whose research and work were well known. They were leaders in their field, some of the brightest known scientists.”
He added, “I think there was a nascent understanding of the extent to which foreign actors in the most direct sense — China we’re talking in this instance, in other instances Russia and other foreign entities, foreign governments — were attempting to influence Canada.”
Meanwhile, Carleton MP Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre who is also running to be the Prime Minister of Canada accused Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of covering up this information. In an X post, he wrote, “Shocking documents reveal Trudeau covered up massive PRC infiltration of his government’s top virology lab.” Along with this, he also shared the video of the document release.
LIVE: Shocking documents reveal Trudeau covered up massive PRC infiltration of his government’s top virology lab https://t.co/CfZLHci67U
— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) February 29, 2024
Pierre Poilievre called the case “a massive national security failure by Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government.” He said, “This is a massive national security failure by Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government, which he fought tooth and nail to cover up. He cannot be trusted to keep our people and our country safe.”
