A Canadian Chinese woman was arrested in Belgium last week on suspicion of spying for a “third country” in NATO, sparking ongoing attention from the public. Two informed sources revealed to Reuters that Belgian authorities suspect the woman of spying for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Belgian prosecutors announced the arrest of the woman last Saturday (25th July), stating that she had worked as an intern at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) located in Mons, Belgium, and is suspected of “engaging in espionage activities for a third country and participating in criminal organizations.” The Belgian court subsequently ruled against granting bail for the woman.
On Tuesday of this week (28th July), Belgian prosecutors stated that the woman’s pre-trial detention has been extended by one month. A spokesperson on Thursday (30th July) mentioned that the woman has appealed this decision, with the court expected to reach a verdict on the appeal within the next two weeks.
As of now, Belgian prosecutors have not disclosed which country the woman was spying for, but according to Reuters, the Chinese woman is suspected of spying for the CCP. Both the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in Brussels have not responded immediately to media requests for comments.
A source from the security department informed Reuters that the woman’s name is Claire Z. and she worked in the IT department at SHAPE. Due to the impending conclusion of her internship, authorities expedited the investigation process.
The informant revealed that the Chinese woman was registered as single in Belgium and does not have any children.
According to reports from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), investigations suggest that Claire Z., the Chinese woman suspected of spying at NATO, is likely Biwei Zhang. She is a system engineer with an economics background and her online resume indicates that she has worked for the Canadian Space Agency and Statistics Canada.
As of the time of writing, Claire Z. and her lawyer have not made any public comments regarding the allegations against her.
NATO’s “Strategic Concept for NATO 2022,” published in 2022, forms the cornerstone of NATO policy. The document cites the CCP as posing a “systemic challenge.” In response, the Chinese Foreign Ministry accused NATO of making unfounded accusations, smearing, and attacking without basis.