Honeytrap is one of the oldest tricks used by intelligence agencies to gain information. Now a book published in England reveals that China too has mastered this trick and has used it to great effect. The book called 'Hidden Hand: Exposing How The Chinese Communist Party Is Reshaping The World' will be out on July 16.
Its authors, Clive Hamilton and Mareike Ohlberg, present saucy details about how some prominent businessmen and politicians got lured into giving away crucial information by ladies working for Chinese intelligence.
A large excerpt from the book has been published in Daily Mail, one of UK's leading newspapers. It provides an in-depth explanation of how China conducts its operations to gain important knowledge – ranging from tech secrets to financial information. However, the most interesting part of the book deals with honey trapping and how it has been put into effect.
How British PM's Former Deputy Succumbed
The excerpt shares the story of one Ian Clement. He was the deputy mayor of London under the then mayor and now Prime Minister of UK Boris Johnson in 2008. On an official visit to Beijing Olympics in 2008, Clement was flattered by a lady whom he later took into his room. What followed could be expected.
But the deputy mayor was stunned when he woke up from his sleep and found that the lady had not only searched his room thoroughly but also downloaded all the information from his phone. He knew then that the woman was no ordinary socialite but an agent of Chinese intelligence service.
This story came out a year later in the media and brought to light one of the lesser-known aspects of Chinese authorities. Known for its brutality at home and clandestine operations abroad, the Communist nation was now also using more psychological methods of drawing crucial information out of gullible westerners.
Preying on Greed
But it's not just Clements and not just sex that the Chinese use for their operations. They are also adept at exploiting the greed of westerners to get desired information. The book also narrates the story of an American Sinophile Glenn Duffie Shriver who was given money to infiltrate CIA but was caught.
It is clear that as its global heft increases, China will exploit every weakness of its foes and every trick in the book to get leverage. Those China-lovers who are fascinated by the country have to keep both their libido and their greed in check. Otherwise, they will become prey just as Shriver and Clements did.
