An emerging story, all the more interesting to me because I know the couple in question. They are, in fact, rather noteworthy in that they've been in China even longer than me (which is quite rare, really)...almost 30 years.
Essentially, two Canadians have been picked up and charged with espionage. This is a charge which carries a maximum penalty of death, and is treated extremely seriously in China. So...what did they do?
We don't have all the info, of course, but I have strong suspicions. There are two possibilities. First, the two of them are well-known missionaries (despite the son attempting to deny that in the interview), in fact I first met them back when I came to China as a missionary in 1993. They taught me quite a bit about how to evangelize, how to establish underground (illegal) churches, etc.
Second, they live right on the border with North Korea, and the husband has the habit of taking photos of illegal shipments crossing the border from China to N. Korea.
I doubt that the former issue is the cause of their arrest...not only have they been doing this for decades without being punished, but if that were the problem, the Chinese gov't would just kick them out of the country.
However, the second issue...China's national gov't has recently engaged in corruption purges that are even targeting high-level gov't officials who were previously considered untouchable. And here's this Canadian guy taking pictures of illegal shipments going into N. Korea. Who is taking money to turn a blind eye to those shipments (or possibly even making the shipments)? The local gov't authorities. Guaranteed.
So...as the national gov't is cracking down, and a Canadian is snapping pictures (and in some cases publishing them online) of the local gov't's illegal activities...is it surprising that the local gov't would get rather overly concerned?
My predictions:
1) The local authorities will use this arrest to seize and destroy all photos and other documentation of these activities
2) The local authorities will coerce some kind of statement from the couple admitting to some sort of guilt (quite possibly in relation to their religious activities)
3) After some time, the Chinese gov't will expel them from China.
Let us see how it plays out.
Essentially, two Canadians have been picked up and charged with espionage. This is a charge which carries a maximum penalty of death, and is treated extremely seriously in China. So...what did they do?
We don't have all the info, of course, but I have strong suspicions. There are two possibilities. First, the two of them are well-known missionaries (despite the son attempting to deny that in the interview), in fact I first met them back when I came to China as a missionary in 1993. They taught me quite a bit about how to evangelize, how to establish underground (illegal) churches, etc.
Second, they live right on the border with North Korea, and the husband has the habit of taking photos of illegal shipments crossing the border from China to N. Korea.
I doubt that the former issue is the cause of their arrest...not only have they been doing this for decades without being punished, but if that were the problem, the Chinese gov't would just kick them out of the country.
However, the second issue...China's national gov't has recently engaged in corruption purges that are even targeting high-level gov't officials who were previously considered untouchable. And here's this Canadian guy taking pictures of illegal shipments going into N. Korea. Who is taking money to turn a blind eye to those shipments (or possibly even making the shipments)? The local gov't authorities. Guaranteed.
So...as the national gov't is cracking down, and a Canadian is snapping pictures (and in some cases publishing them online) of the local gov't's illegal activities...is it surprising that the local gov't would get rather overly concerned?
My predictions:
1) The local authorities will use this arrest to seize and destroy all photos and other documentation of these activities
2) The local authorities will coerce some kind of statement from the couple admitting to some sort of guilt (quite possibly in relation to their religious activities)
3) After some time, the Chinese gov't will expel them from China.
Let us see how it plays out.
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