Beijing has conducted influence operations in an attempt to sway politics in its favor. According to Belgian Justice Minister Paul Van Tigchelt, it is no secret that foreign countries have used Frank Creyelman, a member of the far-right Flemish party Vlaams Belang, to influence his policies.
Belgian authorities became aware of Creyelman’s possible ties to China through a tip received in 2018 linking him to a network allegedly working for Beijing.
The minister added that authorities were unable to prosecute Creyelman and the other suspects because Belgium’s penal code dates back to 1867 and has not been significantly updated, leaving gaps in the code.
In the absence of evidence from security agencies, Van Tigchelt said: “The Brussels Attorney General decided in 2018 that there was no crime.”
The relationship between the Chinese official and his Belgian agent is documented in text messages between 2019 and 2022 obtained by a Western security source during a joint investigation by the Financial Times, Der Spiegel and Le Monde.
The conversations revealed how Daniel Woo, an officer in China’s Ministry of National Security’s spy agency, directed Creyelman to influence discussions in Europe on issues such as China’s crackdown on democracy in Hong Kong and the persecution of Uighurs in Xinjiang.
There is reportedly an ongoing investigation into Creyelman’s ties to China and possible espionage. It is unclear whether he will ever be prosecuted for his crimes.
“These were things that happened in the past. Criminal laws cannot be applied retroactively,” Van Tigchelt said. He added that criminal investigations are not the only weapon against espionage.
Belgian Prime Minister Alexandre de Croo commented on the scandal and said: “We should not underestimate how much foreign powers despise our democracy, our unity. Unlike Russia, China does not attack our continent, but remains a very hostile country at times. It should not be taken for granted,” de Croo told Belgian journalists.
“Belgian democracy is for sale. The Chinese are trying to buy influence to destabilize our democracy. As for Chinagate, or should I say Chinese interests, everything is unfolding before our eyes,” he added.
Tom Van Grieken, leader of the Flemish pro-independence party Vlaams Belang, expelled Creyelman from the party on Friday in light of the allegations.
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2023-12-21 17:01:48
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