Beyond Suspicion : The Racism Shield

"The National Microbiology Laboratory scientists Xiangguo Qiu and Keding Cheng essentially used Canada's highest-security biohazard laboratory as a lending library for Chinese military interests."

"During her time as head of vaccines and antivirals in t he NML's zoonotic diseases and special pathogens division, Qiu repeatedly acted on China's behalf, including by transferring knowledge and materials from the NML to Chinese institutions."

Peter Shawn, senior features editor, C2C Journal

"Conduct the interviews in a respectful and professional manner."

"Care will be taken to avoid any comments or behaviours that could intimidate or be perceived as badgering or threatening the interviewees."

NML interview instruction

Xiangguo Qiu wears a biocontainment suit while working in the containment lab at the National Microbiology Lab (NML) in Winnipeg.  (CBC)

Simultaneous to the time that two bio-researchers of Chinese origin who were Canadian citizens were held in suspicion of releasing Canadian intelligence out of Canada's only high-security biohazard laboratory, two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, were being held on trumped up charges of espionage presenting a danger to Chinese security, in retaliation for Canada responding to a U.S. request to hold Meng Wanzhou, CFO of Huawei for indictment under U.S. state secrets law. They were held for over two years before their release back to Canada.

 

China plays rough, its detainment diplomacy signals that they do not take kindly to imposing uncomfortable penalties on Chinese nationals, groups, or businesses for behaviour harmful to host countries. Canada, on the other hand, treads lightly for fear of offending those involved in clear conduct of espionage threatening Canada's intelligence interests. Just how lightly Canada treads has been revealed with the 600-page release of classified documents related to NML security breaches.

 

Canada's national security interests were subordinated and contorted by diplomatic delicacy in efforts to avoid being labelled racist. The new values-driven concerns surrounding victimology that has been integrated into the federal bureaucracy, instructs those involved in these sensitive issues to be very, very careful. Leading to spies like Xiangguo Qiu and her husband Keding Cheng treated with kid gloves even when the extent and seriousness of their actions injurious to Canada's interests were fully revealed.

"During the grievance hearing, you described the significant emotional toll that you and your family have experienced as a result of this process. I understand this and sympathize with the feelings you expressed."

"I appreciate that this may be a stressful time, and remind you that the Employee Assistance Program is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week."

Official denial of racism claim

A routine "insider threat briefing" at the National Microbiology Lab conducted by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service in 2018 began to reveal reasons to suspect Qiu and Cheng's activities with respect to China. Their electronic devices had been tapped by CSIS and what was then amassed was a troublesome brief of their activities, including violations of security protocols, along with revelations of links to researchers with connections to the Chinese military.

Following an anodyne disciplinary letter forwarded to them in 2020 fully one and a half years after their suspected activities were verified, the federal government was satisfied they could return to the lab. However, at that point CSIS discovered new information that showed their involvement in China's many 'talent' programs; disguised espionage schemes whose purpose was to purloin knowledge from other countries; research-time-and-talent saving short-cuts for Beijing.

Mid-2020 with ample evidence at hand, the duo was called to return for follow-up interviews. Offered the opportunity to refute the conclusions reached by CSIS related to their actions, Qiu responded with a facade of the brilliant, but naive scientist."It was only during the investigative interview that I started to know some new words to me, such as 'NATO', 'spy' and 'espionage'", she claimed, all innocent sweetness and concerned light.

Both Qiu and Cheng claimed racism was at work trying to ruin their reputations as reputable scientists. they launched a grievance through their union, claiming to be victims of "racial profiling" making use of their Chinese backgrounds. The entire case being brought against them should be discarded, they

contended. It was well known in the intelligence community that Qiu and Cheng deliberately and repeatedly lied to investigators.

Qiu had been working actively in favour of transferring data to the Wuhan Laboratory; in 2019 she arranged the shipment of 30 vials of deadly virus samples that included Ebola and Henipah, fron NML's stockpile to go to China, without permission from the National Microbiology Lab, withholding news of the event from her superiors. Her husband had a three-year research project at his NML lab that benefited China's Centre for Disease Control, unknown to NML authorities.

Canadian citizens involved secretly  as foreign agents harming Canada's national security. While authorities at the Winnipeg Lab as well as government political figures went about on tiptoes wary of being held to account with accusations of racism and riling Beijing, should they act on the knowledge that Canadian intelligence agencies had been informing them about and warning them of, for years.

Intelligence documents detail why Xiangguo Qiu and her husband Keding Cheng were fired from the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg in 2021.  Still from Video, CBC