China slams 'groundless' espionage claims by New Zealand spy agency

China has strongly refuted claims by New Zealand's spy agency that Beijing has escalated espionage efforts on its soil. The Chinese embassy in Wellington on Friday denounced the allegations as "groundless" and part of a broader campaign of "attacks, slander and vilification" against China.

“

groundless

New Zealand's Security Intelligence Service issued an annual report this week warning that China was conducting espionage against the nation "at scale." In response, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy accused the spy agency of fabricating accusations and suggested that certain forces within and outside New Zealand were reluctant to see the positive development of bilateral relations.

“

Its false allegations against China either smear normal exchanges and cooperation as so-called espionage or interference, or are entirely groundless and fabricated out of thin air.

The embassy further alleged that unnamed forces in New Zealand were acting as "a pawn for anti-China forces." It issued a stark warning, urging these entities "not to quench their thirst with poison, and not to lift a rock only to drop it on their own feet."

“

It also reflects the reluctance of certain forces, both within and outside New Zealand, to see the sound development of China-New Zealand relations.

This exchange follows a recent incident where the embassy lodged a complaint after New Zealand's Foreign Minister Winston Peters told a Chinese-born lawmaker to "go back to your own country." The spy agency's report also highlighted concerns about Beijing's spies attempting to recruit individuals with access to state secrets via professional networking sites. It detailed the disruption of an attempt by the Chinese military-linked Purple Mountain Observatory to covertly establish Ground Based Space Infrastructure (GBSI) in New Zealand, noting that the local company involved was likely unaware of the equipment's intelligence-gathering capabilities.

“

serving as a pawn for anti-China forces