Chinese research leaders, guest researchers and students from institutions associated with the Chinese defense work in Norway, according to PST.
It was in 2018, and NTNU rector Gunnar Bovim signed a collaboration agreement with his colleague at Jiao Tong University in Shanghai in 2018. Today, PST warns against Chinese military researchers in Norway. Photo: Tore Oksholen
Warns universities against admitting researchers and fellows from China’s “Seven Sons”
This is what PST chief Beate Gangås said in connection with the presentation of this year’s threat assessment, writes VG.
According to the report PST presented on Monday, the Chinese party state also works through Norwegian local politicians and business actors to promote foreign policy and circumvent national decision-making processes.
– This can happen, for example, through Chinese actors offering sponsored trips to China, repeated delegation visits and other forms of positive attention. Several Norwegian municipalities and individuals have signed friendship agreements with Chinese actors who operate on behalf of the Chinese party state, writes PST in the report.
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– Demanding threat image
China and Russia pose a greater and ever-increasing intelligence threat to Norway. The picture is more serious than in many years, according to the security authorities.
– It is demanding. We are in a threat picture that is completely different than it has been in the last ten years, said PST manager Beate Gangås when she answered questions about the service’s latest threat assessment on Monday.
China and Russia together and separately constitute the greatest threat to Norwegian security interests. Not only has the risk picture sharpened significantly in recent years – Norwegian security authorities are prepared for the intelligence activities of the two countries to increase significantly in scope in the coming years.
It became clear to everyone who followed the presentation of the annual threat and risk assessments to the Police Security Service (PST), the Norwegian Intelligence Service and the National Security Authority (NSM) on Monday at noon.
– Today we face a more dangerous security policy situation than a year ago. Future developments are uncertain. The conflicts of interest between authoritarian states and the West are becoming clearer, said chief Nils Andreas Stensønes for the E-service when he explained the main features of the threat assessment Focus 2024.
Expect deterioration
PST expects that the intelligence threat from China will increase over the next few years. This is mainly due to the deteriorating relationship between China and the West, China’s desire for increased control over supply chains and positioning in the Arctic.
In this year’s national threat assessment, PST also publishes for the first time that Chinese research leaders, visiting researchers and students from institutions associated with the Chinese military are working in Norway. This type of research work contributes directly or indirectly to the development of China’s military capabilities, according to PST chief Gangås.
The security authorities are also concerned about the increasingly close cooperation between China and Russia. Among other things, China is a significant supplier of support material and technology to the Russian war industry and the warfare in Ukraine.
– The war still contributes to intensifying the intelligence threat from Russia. At the same time, Norway’s NATO membership and our common border mean that Russia will use its intelligence services against Norwegian targets in the foreseeable future, writes the service.
War and polarization
PST expects that Russia and China will carry out the most attempts to obtain Norwegian goods and technology in covert ways in order to strengthen their own military forces. In addition, out of concern, other states will also seek to acquire technology relevant to their military weapons programs, including the development of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.
The escalation of the war in Ukraine two years ago and the polarization in world politics form an increasingly clear backdrop to the threats to Norwegian security.
* China and Russia will conduct active intelligence against Norway and Norwegian interests this year as well.
* The intelligence we aim at both individuals and businesses in Norway.
* Cyber operations and recruitment of sources will be among the most central.
* Norwegian petroleum infrastructure can be affected by physical sabotage and destructive cyber attacks.
NSM: Democracy under pressure
The National Security Authority tries to prevent all attempts at digital attacks or intrusion into all civilian areas of interest for foreign espionage or intelligence. In this year’s report, it is highlighted that 64 countries and the EU will hold elections.
– Artificial intelligence makes fabricated news increasingly credible. Combined with the fact that disinformation can be spread on a completely different scale than before, the foundations of democratic governance are being challenged, writes NSM.
The development and spread of artificial intelligence will require more vigilance from the responsible authorities, but also the individual who must be alert to the challenges it represents.