CHINA HAS INVESTED $2.1 TRILLION IN STRATEGIC SECTORS AROUND THE WORLD
AidData, a research institute at William & Mary College, has conducted a four-year project to estimate China's total state-backed investments around the world. Researchers found that, since 2000, Beijing has invested $2.1 trillion outside its borders, mostly in developed countries like the U.S., UK and Germany. AidData's new database highlights that state-backed spending overseas has prioritized the ten sectors identified in China's "Project 2025," which was released back in 2015. Western countries, meanwhile, had not previously realized that PRC investments in their country were part of a larger strategy. "They thought it was just a lot of individual initiative from Chinese companies. What they've learned over time is that actually Beijing's party state is behind the scenes writing the cheques," says Brad Parks at AidData. (BBC, November 17, 2025)
MI5: PRC SPIES TARGET UK LAWMAKERS USING LINKEDIN
China uses headhunters on business networking website LinkedIn and other platforms to recruit and compromise lawmakers and parliamentary staff members, according to an espionage alert issued by Britain's domestic intelligence agency. MI5 warned lawmakers that China's Ministry of State Security is targeting them and other government staff, political consultants, and think tank experts. The alert identified two headhunters as examples of those used by Beijing to target British residents. According to MI5: "The headhunters are typically China-based individuals who make initial contact with a target before referring them to an officer. Using these companies they will either engage in person or using online platforms such as LinkedIn." Targets are "approached to work as freelance consultants authoring geopolitical reports" as part of "a wider collection effort" by Chinese intelligence, the alert said. (New York Times, November 18, 2025)
BRITAIN ANNOUNCES PLAN TO COUNTER PRC ESPIONAGE
UK security minister Dan Jarvis has unveiled an "espionage action plan" to counter China's attempts to spy on British government agencies and businesses. Citing MI5 warnings, Jarvis said China is recruiting people with access to sensitive parliamentary and government information and attempting to covertly interfere in UK affairs. In response, London will spend £170m ($222 million) to upgrade government IT and communications security, and £130m ($170 million) to help businesses protect their intellectual property. Officials will work with university leaders to address covert PRC influence on higher education and with technology firms to launch security campaigns and provide tailored briefings to safeguard the May elections. (The Independent, November 21, 2025)
CHINA FUNDS $29 MILLION REVAMP OF SOUTH AFRICAN MILITARY BASE
China is funding a 500 million Rand ($29 million) overhaul of the South African National Defense Force's mobilization center at De Brug – a project dubbed "Project Zingisa." Chinese technicians are carrying out the "highly classified" revamp and are working on South African frigates and submarines. Critics, including the Democratic Alliance's Chris Hattingh, warn that the arrangement raises sovereignty, security, and intellectual property risks. South Africa's Department of Defense has confirmed that "infrastructure enhancement" is underway at De Brug, but says it is still in the planning phase. (News 24, November 9, 2025)
BEIJING WARNS CITIZENS OF RISKS AMID AFRICAN GOLD RUSH
China's embassy in the Central African Republic (CAR) has warned its citizens they risk becoming "mining slaves" amid the country’s gold rush. Chinese workers face kidnapping, attacks, theft, deportation, and even death while mining illegally, the embassy said. Many have been killed by armed groups, rival miners, or in staged "accidents," while others died from disease. Rising gold prices and difficult job prospects in China have drawn nationals to CAR, Congo, Ghana, and Mali, where weak regulation fuels illegal mining. The embassy is urging nationals to evacuate, describing all areas outside the capital, Bangui, as "extreme high risk." (U.S. News, November 20, 2025)
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