What is China’s ‘magic weapon’ UFWD: Intelligence activities increased the tension of the world, the net extended to Britain and Vietnam, know more

China’s President Xi Jinping holds the magical weapon created by Mao. – Photo: primelookindia.com

There is an uproar in Western countries regarding China’s United Front Work Department. Especially in view of the Dragon’s growing military capabilities and the reach of its spying system. A major reason for this is that recently there have been revelations about the close relationship of an alleged Chinese spy with Prince Andrew, a member of the British royal family.

With the growing power of China, there has been tension in the whole world regarding its intelligence activities. However, for China, intelligence activities are not limited to just spying or surveillance. Rather, another strength of China works to manage the discussions and propaganda taking place all over the world about it. This strength of the Dragon is its United Front Work Department (UFWD) – which was even described as China’s magic weapon by its founder Mao Zedong eight decades ago. Now the current President of China is also engaged in using this magic weapon fearlessly.

It has been told that there is an uproar in Western countries regarding China’s United Front Work Department. Especially in view of the growing military capabilities of the Dragon and the reach of its spying system. A major reason for this is that recently there have been revelations about the close relationship of an alleged Chinese spy with Prince Andrew, a member of the British royal family.

The shocking thing is that Prince Andrew had once even declared Chris Yang (Yang Tengbo), identified as a spy, as his representative for talks with investors in China. While they were not aware of Yang being a spy.

The most shocking incident in this whole case was that a message from an advisor to Prince Andrew was also found in the device confiscated from Yang. It read, “With your guidance, we have found a way to reach relevant people inside and outside Windsor (the royal family’s home) without getting caught.” This incident has raised the eyebrows of security agencies around the world as to how an alleged Chinese spy has been able to gain access to the royal family.

After this entire incident, the world’s attention is on UFWD. Amidst this entire incident, one question is how does this Chinese organization work? What is its history? How is Chinese President Xi Jinping using it in the world?

Let’s know…
What is the United Front Working Department?
This department of China is also known simply as the United Front. It has been an inclusive form of the Communist alliance. This United Front played an important role in the victory of the Communist Party in the decades-long civil war in China. That is why Mao Zedong, the supreme leader of Communist China, called it a magical weapon.

When the Communist Party’s rule began with the end of the civil war in 1949, the activities of the United Front got divided into many areas. However, the United Front has seen a renaissance in the last decade after Xi Jinping came to power in China. According to experts, Xi Jinping has worked to rebuild the United Front in the same way as it used to work during Mao’s time. Therefore, through the United Front, Jinping is working to connect all social forces for the benefit of China.

The surprising thing is that unlike the rest of China’s intelligence system, UFWD is not really that secret. It even has a website, on which its activities are also constantly updated. However, many things are unclear about the scope of its work and its reach.

How is Xi Jinping using UFWD?

According to a report, most of the activities of UFWD are at the domestic level. However, some of its activities are to maintain contact with Chinese people abroad and use them for work from time to time. Not only this, this institution also works to influence the discussions about China around the world and set the view on sensitive issues. From China’s campaigns for Taiwan to the oppression of minorities in Tibet and Xinjiang, this agency is also engaged in influencing discussions in the world.

Apart from this, a major task of the United Front is to shape the perspective about China in foreign media. This institute targets critics of the Chinese government abroad through its contacts and also includes big and influential faces of China in its propaganda.

According to people who are aware of the working methods of this institute, UFWD is also involved in intelligence activities. However, its entire work is more than intelligence activities. This institute not only collects secret information about foreign governments, but also brings together the Chinese population living abroad to work in the interest of China. While the number of people associated with China abroad was less during Mao’s time, the number of people of Chinese origin abroad has increased rapidly during Xi Jinping’s time. In such a situation, China has been far ahead in establishing influence beyond its borders through Chinese immigrants.
Hand in shaping the view from Dalai Lama to Uighurs
UFWD carries out activities through institutions associated with the Chinese community abroad. Its members are seen defending the controversial actions of the Communist Party of China on many forums. Not only this, many organisations abroad work to censor the opponents of the Communist Party at the instigation of the United Front. Apart from this, Tibetan Buddhist religious leader Dalai Lama has been associated with protesting in Western countries. The conspiracy of people associated with UFWD has also come to the fore in the case of threatening people who raise the issue of atrocities on minority Tibetans and Uighurs in China.

Apart from the Prince Andrew case, where has the influence of China’s UFWD been seen abroad

It is worth mentioning that the case of China’s internal infiltration in a country is not limited to Prince Andrew and Wang Tengbo. Earlier in 2022, Britain’s domestic intelligence agency arrested a Chinese-origin lawyer Christine Lee. It was alleged that UFWD had given her the responsibility of making contacts and relationships with influential people in Britain.

Not only this, in 2023, Liang Litang, a Chinese-American citizen who runs a Chinese restaurant in Boston, was arrested. He was accused of providing information to UFWD spies about opponents who had fled from China in his area.

In September 2023, Linda Sun, a former assistant in the New York Governor’s Office, was arrested. She was accused of working in the interest of the Chinese government by misusing her position. It was alleged that she helped China’s UNWD in exchange for some benefits – like tourism. The Chinese media itself reported that she met UFWD officials in 2017, who asked Linda to work as a guide in the US-China friendship.

The law compels Chinese citizens

While most countries keep their citizens’ influence and their espionage activities separate, China has blurred this fine line. Especially since China passed a law in 2017. Under this law, any person, company or organisation associated with China will have to cooperate in its intelligence investigations. Under this, they are also bound to share information with the Chinese government. Due to this law, China also has the ability to misuse any of its citizens, companies or organizations working abroad.