IT sounds like a plot straight from the pages of a spy novel - a high level Chinese security official, who knows plenty of secrets, defects to the United States. But is it in fact real life?
What is being said?
Dong Jingwei is one of the most senior security officials in China who has served as Vice Minister of the Ministry of State Security since 2018 - the organisation is responsible for intelligence, as well as for running the secret police and handling counterintelligence. In recent days, it has been reported that he has fled the Communist country with his daughter.
If so?
It would be the highest-level defection in the history of the People’s Republic of China.
He sure does have a lot to tell?
The 57-year-old would have confidential information on highly sensitive subjects ranging from the origins of SARS-CoV-2 to what exactly went on in the Wuhan Institute of Virology, as well as the identities of undercover agents in the US.
Wuhan could well be a clue?
Just last month, US President Joe Biden ordered an investigation into the origin of the virus and insiders now believe that the timing could well be linked to a tip off from an official such as Jingwei, sparking the move so far into the pandemic.
China have denied the defection?
China never admits to defections taking place and endeavours to prove they have not. days after the story was reported on the US conservative political blog site, RedState, China's officially sanctioned media reported that Jingwei had spoken at a Ministry of State Security seminar where he called on the country’s intelligence officers to boost efforts to hunt down foreign agents who plot with “anti-China” forces.
However?
The event was initially reported on Changanjian, a WeChat account affiliated with the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
A picture has now been released?
Chinese officials have now published an image apparently showing Jingwei at the 16th meeting of the Security Council Secretaries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Member States on June 23, but it simply sparked claims it has been photoshopped.
If he had defected?
He would be lying low and although Newsweek reported one of their US government sources said the reports were “not accurate," it’s likely only the highest level of security officials would be aware, with RedState saying not even the FBI or CIA were in the loop.
It is not unprecedented?
Xu Junping was a senior colonel in the People's Liberation Army who defected to the United States in 2000. He remains the highest-ranking defector and the move was described as one of the worst intelligence losses in China's history.
Ultimately…?
Veteran BBC world affairs broadcaster, John Simpson, tweeted of the rumours that “if it turns out to be true, we could soon find out whether Covid really started in the Wuhan lab. And much, much more.”
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here