Europe

Germany remains a central focus of Russian disinformation efforts, and Kremlin-backed campaigns continue to grow in scope and intensity.

That was the warning that senior security officials and lawmakers issued this week during a public session of the German parliament's committee responsible for overseeing the country's intelligence agencies.

"We have long recognized the threat to Germany from foreign influence and hybrid warfare, especially from Russia," said Konstantin von Notz, a Green Party lawmaker and the committee's chairman.

"However, we are now witnessing a new level of intensity, and this development is deeply worrying for all of us."

[...]

As Germany has emerged as one of the staunchest supporters of Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, the Kremlin has increasingly perceived Germany "as an enemy" and treated it as one, said Bruno Kahl, president of Germany's foreign intelligence agency, the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND).

Kahl explained that Russian President Vladimir Putin has long waged a "hybrid war" against countries in the West to "create a new world order." To achieve this end, Putin is using Russia's secret service agencies "as the spearhead in the fight against the West, with a state mandate, with all the means at their disposal, without legal restrictions and, above all, without any conscience."

Only 37 percent of Europe’s surface waters are in good condition, warns the European Environment Agency. Climate change, habitat degradation, freshwater overuse and pollution are key threats. "Our waters face unprecedented challenges," said EEA Executive Director Leena Yla-Mononen, highlighting risks to Europe's water security.

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In recent years, authorities in several Western countries have uncovered covert operations, conducted by the Chinese intelligence-linked United Front, in which individuals and organizations linked to the unit have sought to illegally obtain information and influence local political processes.

[...]

A recent report by the Czech counterintelligence service also specifically names the United Front as having carried out covert operations in the Czech Republic in support of Chinese intelligence operations.

Hungary’s government, which is increasingly close to China, is not known to have ever taken action against the United Front. [However, investigations] can reveal that this unit of the Chinese Communist Party is also working extensively in Hungary.

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[The investigations included a] document leaked to an online hacker forum that contained the names of more than two thousand individuals who run Chinese associations abroad – and who allegedly had links to the United Front.

For a significant number of the names on the list, journalists and researchers were able to use public sources to confirm that individuals and organizations are indeed linked to this unit of the Chinese Communist Party. In Hungary, 56 such individuals and 26 associations were identified, including organizations engaging in business, political and cultural activities. Among those identified were a businessman who owns several department stores, other entrepreneurs and journalists and staff of Chinese-language newspapers operating in Hungary.

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According to experts, the Chinese Communist Party has been actively involved in the creation of several Chinese associations operating in Hungary.

Pál Nyíri, a professor at Corvinus University in Budapest, said these associations were originally set up by Chinese businessmen who settled abroad but wanted to do business with the Chinese government and party organizations. Those who joined the associations hoped to gain some sort of advantage in, for example, the procurement of goods by greeting Chinese party and state delegations. According to Nyíri, they also saw the potential for social advancement in having their picture taken with such important people.

[...]

** With the Orbán government’s increasingly close ties to China, the Chinese Communist Party has less need for these organizations for political influence in Hungary (compared to in Western countries more critical of China). Even so, local organizations with links to the United Front are trying to shape Hungarian public opinion on China-related issues.**

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Back in 2021, [...] the Hungarian government had secretly agreed to build the Budapest campus of Shanghai’s Fudan University in the capital’s 9th district with a €1.3 billion (HUF 500 billion) Chinese loan. In protest against the plan, district mayor Krisztina Baranyi named the public spaces surrounding the planned site after communities and leaders oppressed by China. These included the Uyghur Martyrs’ Road and Dalai Lama Road.

Several Chinese associations in Hungary protested against this. Baranyi received a letter signed by the leaders of 16 Chinese associations in Hungary, who claim to be “representatives of the 40,000-strong Chinese community.” They have asked Baranyi to reconsider renaming the streets surrounding the planned Fudan University campus, insisting that doing so offends China’s political views.

“We have to meet the political thinking of the host country, but also the expectations of the mother country, China. Therefore, we felt bad when the names of the streets surrounding the Fudan University area were changed in a way that was incompatible with the political thinking of the motherland,” they wrote in the letter. Ten signatories were from organizations that Direkt36 identified as being linked to the United Front.

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Several Chinese associations in Hungary were also involved in organizing the visit [of Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinpinkg] in May. Márton Tompos, a member of Hungarian parliament, spotted in reports on the internet that the Hungarian Qingtian Association was responsible for coordinating the “security and welcome team” during Xi’s visit. The articles specifically mentioned the association’s secretary-general, Fan Qiaoxiong, who was quoted in one of the largest Chinese portals as the contact officer of the alleged Golgota Road police station.

During the visit, neither Hungarian authorities nor the Chinese organizers left any room for dissenting opinions. During Xi’s visit, the Tibet Supporter Society (Tibetet Segítő Társaság) planned several days of demonstrations, but the police refused their request to display Tibetan flags along the convoy’s route.

[...]

[Sociologist Fanni] Beck stressed that it is not at all common for Chinese people living in Hungary to participate in the activities of the United Front. “The people I meet come here because they don’t like the Chinese system. They avoid these associations as far as possible,” the sociologist said.

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/44916164

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/44909441

**Tibetans and Tibet supporters in the French capital are continuing their protests against the Musée Guimet, despite the museum’s recent decision not to rename exhibitor spaces as “Tibet” rather than “Himalayan world. While the Musée du quai Branly apologised and promised, on September 25, to restore the name “Tibet” with the romanised version of a Chinese term, “Xizang” on its artefacts. **

For weeks, members of the Tibetan diaspora, human rights activists, and Students for a Free Tibet (SFT), a chapter-based network of youth activists, have gathered outside the Musée Guimet, demanding the recognition of Tibet as a distinct cultural and historical entity. Protesters chanted slogans such as “Tibet Exists. Name It.” and “Shame on Guimet,” calling on the museum to honor Tibetan heritage by renaming the exhibition halls to reflect Tibet’s true identity.

[...]

Despite the peaceful demonstrations, museum officials have rejected the appeal, stating that the name change was part of a broader global framework and that Tibet continues to be mentioned within the museum’s exhibits.

“Many researchers and experts in the field have also expressed their disagreement with this renaming and the invisibilisation of Tibet that it entails,” said Tenzin Yangchen, President of SFT France, speaking on behalf of the Tibetan community. “Their opposition underlines the importance of maintaining historical and cultural integrity in our academic and museum institutions. That is why we cannot remain silent.”

Yangchen also emphasised that the issue at the Guimet Museum is just one example of the increasing Chinese influence in France. “For decades, the Tibetan people have suffered under the oppression of the Chinese government. We cannot remain silent in the face of this injustice that now extends to our own cultural institutions.” She added that the protests would continue for as long as necessary until the Guimet Museum acknowledges Tibet as a nation with its own identity, culture, and artistic heritage. The activists are also stepping up efforts to engage with local politicians and government officials to press for change.

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The controversy gained public attention when Le Monde raised concerns that the Musée du Quai Branly had replaced “Tibet” with “Xizang Autonomous Region,” and the Musée Guimet had renamed its exhibition spaces focused on Tibet as the “Himalayan world.” Scholars argue that these changes align with Chinese state propaganda, which aims to rewrite and distort Tibetan history and culture, ultimately legitimising China’s illegal occupation of Tibet.

In March 2024, the Hong Kong government introduced a new security law, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. Also known as ‘Article 23 legislation’, it exacerbates the impact of the 2020 National Security Law by introducing a number of new crimes and longer sentences for existing crimes. Practically speaking, the two pieces of legislation are complementary legal tools for cracking down on dissent since the 2019 pro-democracy protest movement.

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EU governments should advocate for the rules-based international order and the upholding of international law; principles which are enshrined in the Treaty of Lisbon, EU institutions, and across domestic policies and legislation. While it is not perfect, the EU stands for fundamental rights and freedoms, which it seeks to promote at home and abroad. Furthermore, speaking out about human rights violations in Hong Kong and China is a clear way of reiterating those values in the face of Beijing’s quest to reshape international human rights norms and language. This is particularly important when Beijing’s actions have an impact within the EU itself.

Intimidation and division among Hong Kongers in the EU

In July and December 2023, the Hong Kong government issued arrest warrants and HKD 1 million (USD 128,100) bounties, under the 2020 National Security Law, for 13 activists based in the UK, US, and Australia. All these individuals reside outside Hong Kong and China and several hold foreign citizenship. Most recently, in June 2024, the Hong Kong government cancelled the passports of six activists based in the UK. Article 96 of the new Safeguarding National Security Ordinance allows for the cancellation of “absconders” passports, enacted in this instance. Exemplified by the government’s latest round of threats against activists abroad, these measures constitute an innovative new type of transnational repression against Hong Kong citizens.

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Novel threats from the Hong Kong government are already causing real consequences for Hong Kongers in the EU — activists and more ‘ordinary’ citizens alike — and they are creating new challenges for advocacy from both the civil society and diplomatic channels.

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The arrest warrants, bounties, and now passport cancellations, show that Hong Kong (and China) is entering uncharted territory in its transnational repression and violations of international law. The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) has also been used in similar ways.

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Although none of these repressive measures have been employed against European citizens or residents so far, they send a signal to Hong Kongers based in the EU that these actions can be used against them too. More broadly, they signal that the Hong Kong government (and Beijing) can take extraterritorial action with little consequences. This is a test to measure the international response: if they can do this with little accountability, they know that they can commit further harassment, and other forms of human rights violations, abroad. This is noted by other undemocratic countries, who may be inspired by this impunity and consider forms of extraterritorial human rights violations they can commit themselves. Thus, a strong pre-emptive response is vital to deter extraterritorial human rights violations against people in the EU.

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Strategically, EU member states should adopt a more consistent and unified approach towards China, particularly its violations of international human rights law and the rules-based international order.

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Furthermore, China and Hong Kong need to be held accountable and face real consequences for their human rights violations and violations of international law. This could include targeted sanctions against key government officials and entities, trade restrictions on items that support the Hong Kong government’s oppression, and legal challenges at international courts.

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The six West Balkan states attended a summit in Berlin to sign agreements to bring them closer to EU membership. The German Chancellor said they needed to cooperate.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and EU Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen welcomed the six West Balkan states to Berlin on Monday as part of the tenth Berlin Process summit.

The Berlin process aims to bring Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzgovenia, Albania and North Macedonia together to sign agreements to enable them to become EU member states. Five out of six agreements were signed, and restrictions on export from Serbia to Kosovo were lifted.

Scholz underlined that the states could only join together, despite some of them likely to meet conditions quicker than others. He encouraged the states to help each other out.

Montenegro is seen as the first promising country to be integrated to Europe, despite the process beginning more than 20 years ago. Whilst Montenegro expects to meet all the requirements before 2028, Scholz said he hopes the whole process would be complete before 2030.

The German leader also urged Serbia and Kosovo to thaw relations.

Croatia was the last state to become part of the EU, back in 2013.

But with Ukraine and Moldova's memberships being accelerated due to the full-scale invasion, its likely to leave a sour taste in the Balkan states' mouths.

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Chinese social media giant TikTok is “more dangerous” to Ukraine in terms of spreading Russian propaganda and disinformation than the Russia-founded messaging app Telegram, according to Alina Aleksieeva, the deputy head of Ukraine’s State Center for Countering Disinformation (CPD).

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“We often perceive Telegram as the primary culprit, given its abundance of anonymous Russian channels and the impersonation of Ukrainian ones,” said Svitlana Slipchenko, deputy executive director of the data analytics platform Vox Ukraine.

“But the problem extends beyond Telegram — fake news is widespread on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads,” she added. “The danger is focusing too narrowly on one platform while Russian propaganda continues to thrive across the entire digital landscape.”

Earlier this year, the CPD published a list of over 80 TikTok accounts used for Russian disinformation. The list includes official accounts of Russian state media, such as TASS, Sputnik, and RIA Novosti.

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Ukraine has previously considered banning TikTok. The app’s future in the U.S. is uncertain due to concerns that ByteDance may have ties to the Chinese government. U.S. authorities have also accused the app of spreading harmful content and misinformation and posing privacy risks.

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Ukraine has been paying close attention to foreign social media apps due to the risks they pose to its users amid the ongoing war. Earlier in September, Ukraine banned Telegram on official devices used by state and security officials, military personnel, and employees of critical infrastructure facilities.

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cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/44826676

The embassy of the People's Republic of China (PRC), led by the Communist Party, has submitted a note to the Riigikogu, the parliament of Estonia, criticizing the participation of several MPs in an event celebrating Taiwan's national holiday. The PRC considers Taiwan, historically known as the Republic of China, to be a breakaway province.

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The Chinese Embassy underscored that, in their view, members of the Riigikogu, "the participation of the aforementioned members of the Riigikogu [...] violates the One China principle [...] It concludes with the hope that members of the Riigikogu will refrain from similar actions in the future to avoid damaging relations between the two countries.

Social media posts show that former Prime Minister Andrus Ansip also attended the reception hosted by Taiwan.

Riigikogu Foreign Affairs Committee chair Marko Mihkelson (Reform) commented on Wednesday about his participation in the event, stating that in the face of growing existential threats, democracies must stand together.

"Therefore, it is only natural that Estonia and Taiwan strengthen their good relations in areas where we can be mutually beneficial and contribute to international security. These were my messages last night at the reception in Tallinn, where Taiwan's national holiday was celebrated," Mihkelson wrote on social media, [also noting] that compared to last year, the number of Taiwan's supporters in Estonia has visibly grown, which, in his opinion, further confirms the importance of maintaining unity among societies that share common values, regardless of distance.

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On Wednesday, Mihkelson also met with the People's Republic of China's ambassador, Guo Xiaomei, and noted that much of the discussion focused on the ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine.

"Relations between Estonia and China have been volatile in recent years. This has been largely influenced by the Covid pandemic and the resulting restrictions, but even more so by Russia's full-scale war in Europe, where China has supported Russia economically and politically. Understandably, this has heightened tensions in East Asia, particularly around Taiwan," Mihkelson wrote.

"During today's meeting with China's ambassador Guo Xiaomei, we discussed, at her request, the situation around Taiwan and the planned visit of the Foreign Affairs Committee delegation to the region. It is in Estonia's interest to maintain the status quo and reduce tensions. Any military solution would lead to a global catastrophe, which likely isn't in China's interest either," the Foreign Affairs Committee chair added.

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"We also discussed what Chinese President Xi Jinping meant when he stated during his visit to Moscow last year that, together with Russia, China would bring about changes in the world not seen in 100 years. We both acknowledged that in the current international dynamics, it is crucial to listen to each other and do everything possible to prevent regional tensions from escalating into a global conflict," he remarked.

If you eat salmon, there's a good chance that it comes from a salmon farm in Norway. The country has been farming salmon for over 50 years

The new measures, which could include extending detention and limiting regularisation for migrants, may spark further divisions in the French Parliament.

Government disbanded due to disagreements on issues including foreign policy and asylum seekers, says Bjarni Benediktsson

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/44760395

https://archive.is/7OQh3