UBC grad student raises concerns about possible Chinese interference in civic elections

Allegations of a foreign entity trying to influence elections may seem like a U.S. phenomenon, but one UBC graduate student believes it is happening in Canada, and particularly in Vancouver’s civic election race.

“I can smell it to be the case here in the Vancouver,” Billy Fung told Global News, pointing to China as the likely actor.

“From my research I’ve realized that the media (is) one of the tools that’s employed by the Chinese Communist Party to influence places for the elections.”

Now a UBC graduate student, the former Hong Kong resident recently completed a master’s degree at the University of London, where he outlined what he said is Beijing’s playbook.

He said the party seeks to influence the Chinese diaspora community overseas using Chinese-language media to leverage nationalist feelings for the political outcomes it views as most beneficial.

0:24 Beijing describes Canadian accusations on China being cyber-crime threat as ‘groundless’

“Some of the overseas Chinese, they may have limited English literacy,” he said.

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Fung said incumbent Vancouver Mayor Kennedy has aroused Beijing’s anger by talking about a “friendship city” arrangement with Taiwan, and earlier this summer reports CSIS was briefing local politicians about China made headlines.

“It’s easy to sway a very percentage of electors, just using false information and misinformation,” former Richmond-Steveston East Conservative MP Kenny Chiu told Global News.

Chiu believes his loss in the 2021 federal election was in part because of positions he took that displeased Beijing, resulting in attacks against him in influential local Chinese-language media.

“For that, I’ve been branded as traitor, sellout, and also anti-Chinese, a Chinese hater,” he said.

Global News was unable to reach anyone at the Chinese consulate by deadline.

The leading candidates in Vancouver had a range of responses.

Mayoral candidate Kennedy Stewart’s campaign declined comment, Ken Sim’s campaign said it was confident the RCMP and CSIS were on top of the issue, and Colleen Hardwick said she’s concerned about any country that would attempt to interfere.