A Canadian woman of Chinese descent, Biwei Zhang, also known by the English names Claire and Catina, is currently under investigation in Belgium for allegedly engaging in espionage activities while working at the NATO Supreme Allied Headquarters Europe. This has sparked international attention.
She is facing allegations of espionage in Belgium and has requested bail.
Although the Belgian Federal Prosecution Office has not publicly disclosed which country she is suspected of working for, the Canadian government has emphasized that the case is still under investigation. Nonetheless, this incident has sent shockwaves through Canada’s security circles.
Before joining NATO, she worked for nearly a decade in the Canadian federal public service, where she was involved in research on artificial intelligence, autonomous driving, drone technology, and more. Subsequently, she joined the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) within NATO.
SHAPE is responsible for coordinating NATO’s military operational plans, including troop deployments, military resource allocation, and certain aspects of cybersecurity.
According to public records, Biwei Zhang was born in 1993 and is a Canadian citizen, although it is currently unclear when she obtained citizenship. Court documents indicate that as of 2023, she was still a permanent resident of Canada.
She initially entered the government system through the Federal Student Work Experience Program in Canada. In 2018, she secured a temporary position at the National Research Council of Canada. Later, she worked at Statistics Canada until 2022.
With a strong academic background, she pursued a master’s degree in Systems Science and Engineering at the University of Ottawa. Her native language is Mandarin, and she is proficient in English and French. Her research interests encompass economics, artificial intelligence, autonomous driving vehicles, drones, and robotics.
Following the espionage allegations during her tenure at NATO SHAPE, some security experts have raised concerns about Canada’s security screening processes.
SHAPE, located near Mons, Belgium, serves as the headquarters for NATO’s Supreme Allied Powers in Europe. Its responsibilities include coordinating military operations among member countries, planning troop deployments, strategic readiness, and cybersecurity defense.
An anonymous former NATO military personnel informed CTV that individuals working at SHAPE typically undergo at least a “Secret Level” security clearance.
The expert remarked, “Approximately 99% of the information exchanged at SHAPE falls under the category of classified.”
Global Affairs Canada confirmed that Biwei Zhang’s security clearance for the NATO internship position was approved by the Canadian government and subjected to review by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS).
Data from CSIS indicates that in 2025, the institution completed 129,740 security screenings for the Canadian federal government.
Jody Thomas, the former National Security Advisor to ex-Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, stated that this case necessitates a “reverse engineering” approach: re-examining when she entered the government system, what each security screening revealed, which information was missed at the time, and whether there are systemic vulnerabilities.
Thomas highlighted that discrepancies were detected in Biwei Zhang’s background during her application process with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), signaling a neglected “red flag.”
In 2020, Biwei Zhang had applied for a junior analyst position at CBSA using two different names, submitting two applications and taking two standard qualification exams. Following an investigation by the Public Service Commission of Canada, her actions were deemed as improper manipulations to enhance her chances of selection.
Thomas stated, “Aside from this recent conviction, perhaps her past resume remained clean, and she was radicalized only after joining Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE)… or maybe, she had been undercover for a long time, waiting for the right moment.”
During her time at the University of Ottawa, Zhang was involved in research at the Smart Connected Vehicles Innovation Center (SCVIC), focusing on artificial intelligence security, autonomous driving technology, edge computing, and next-generation vehicle networks.
Former CSIS official Dan Stanton pointed out that a background in such technological areas could escalate the intelligence value if someone attempted to access internal NATO information. Information within NATO’s military system, encompassing personnel relations, military planning, and technological development, could pique the interest of foreign intelligence agencies.
Given Biwei Zhang’s Chinese heritage and Mandarin proficiency, Stanton noted during an interview that these indicators align with the strategic interests of the Chinese Communist Party in obtaining NATO information.
Thomas also mentioned that CSIS has recently issued warnings regarding espionage activities conducted by Indian and Chinese governments through sending students to Canada.
However, the Belgian Prosecution Office has yet to officially confirm which country she may be working for, and the Canadian government has not made specific accusations against the Chinese government in this case. Both Belgian and Canadian authorities have declined to comment on any particular foreign government until the investigation is completed.
Furthermore, online profiles indicate that Biwei Zhang had previously worked as an economic researcher at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and as a policy analyst at the European Space Agency (ESA). She also disclosed having experience at the Canadian Standards Association and the Canadian Space Agency.
An official from the World Trade Organization verified to CTV that Claire Zhang had indeed briefly served as an intern at the WTO from May to October 2023.
The Canadian Space Agency stated that they are taking the matter “extremely seriously,” but in light of the Belgian Federal Police not publicly disclosing the names of those involved in the case, the agency refused to confirm any details regarding her personal identity.
The case of Biwei Zhang is still in the judicial investigation phase.