Chinese intelligence reportedly attempted to gather sensitive information regarding Belgian politician Samuel Cogolati, a vocal critic of China’s policies and co-chair of the Greens party. According to local media sources, the Chinese spies pursued this objective by attempting to manipulate Eric Dosogne, the former mayor of Huy and a political opponent of Cogolati.
Chinese espionage efforts in Belgium
In 2020, Chinese agents reached out to Dosogne, who has maintained a strong connection with the Chinese government due to a friendship agreement between the city and China. Reports indicate that Belgian intelligence services were closely monitoring communications involving the Chinese agent who contacted Dosogne. They issued warnings to the local politician on at least two occasions regarding the potential risks associated with foreign interference and espionage.
The intelligence services later took measures to inform both Cogolati and Paul Magnette, the chairman of the French-speaking Socialist Party (PS), about the ongoing threat.
Previous incidents involving Chinese influence
This is not the first instance of a Belgian lawmaker being linked to Chinese espionage. In December 2023, far-right politician Frank Creyelman was expelled from the Vlaams Belang party following revelations of his involvement in shaping discussions on critical issues, including China’s repression of democracy in Hong Kong and the persecution of Uyghurs in Xinjiang.
“Cogolati — who was placed on a sanctions list by Beijing in March 2021 — has been a key voice pushing back against Alibaba’s logistics hub investment in Liège, criticizing Uyghur forced labor in China and pushing to restrict the use of Huawei in Belgian 5G networks.”
Cogolati is notably recognized for his active role in the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), a coalition of lawmakers dedicated to addressing China’s human rights violations. His advocacy has made him a target for cyberattacks in the past.
The town of Huy, where both Cogolati and Dosogne are politically active, is also notable for housing one of the largest Tibetan Buddhist centers in Europe, which has been visited multiple times by the Dalai Lama.