Former Chinese spy trainer and NZ MP faces calls to be sacked

almost 4 years in dailytelegraph

New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has called for the Nationals Party to sack an MP who has previously admitted to training Chinese spies.

Dr Jian Yang has been a member of the NZ parliament since 2011, but revealed in 2017 his ties to the Chinese Communist Party and his involvement in training Chinese spies before migrating to New Zealand in the 1990s.

Dr Yang denied ever being a Chinese spy himself.

Sky News New Zealand correspondent Jackson Williams said Dr Yang has proved to be an “incredibly elusive figure” for journalists since 2017, having not given an interview in this term of parliament.

Mr Williams told Sky News host Andrew Bolt there have also been international media reports suggesting some Five Eyes nations – of which New Zealand is a member – have expressed concerns over Dr Yang’s “historical connection to Chinese military intelligence”.

Deputy Prime Minister Peters has called for Opposition Leader Todd Muller to “stand up for this country” and deal with Dr Yang’s membership in the party.

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