Photo from Voltaire F. Domingo, Senate Social Media Unit/ Joseph B. Vidal, OSP
MANILA, Philippines — Alice Guo “was a Chinese spy, but not a special one,” according to a certain Wang Fu Gui, who confirmed this to Sen. Risa Hontiveros’ office.
Wang was a former cellmate of She Zhijiang — a self-confessed Chinese spy who is also a central figure in a documentary earlier released by Al Jazeera. Wang said he is a good friend to She, adding that they stayed together in prison for 1.5 years.
Wang said he was entrusted by She to handle some of the latter’s declassified matters where he found Guo’s classified documents.
On Tuesday, the Senate panel on women, led by Hontiveros, revealed a Zoom interview with Wang, where he disclosed details about Chinese espionage activities.
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In the interview, Wang was asked how he concluded that Guo is a spy.
“The content of the declassified file kept by Mr. She is large and I only have declassified a portion under his authorization. She was a spy, but not a special one. It just happens there is a copy of her state security background there,” said Wang.
“And her situation with Mr. She has a lot of similarities. That’s all I can say, because I’m not Mr. She himself, and according to my agreement with him, I can only reveal so much, sorry,” he added.
Wang was also asked if he’s aware how Guo became a spy, to which he recounted the process earlier told to him by She when they were still in prison.
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“First of all, all field agents recruited by State Security will have very detailed background information investigated, and there are also special hacking teams and hometown associations and chambers of commerce in charge of overseas information collection, including the secrets and weaknesses of some people that will be held in the background information, and this is the main method of controlling the field agents overseas by State Security,” said Wang.
“For example, Guo Hua Ping’s fake Filipino identity is such a secret and weakness that she can only listen to State Security. Mr. She’s experience is similar,” he added.
Hontiveros pressed Wang to disclose whether Guo was planted in the Philippines as a spy when she was still a child or was only tapped to work for the Chinese government when she first became mayor of Bamban.
But Wang answered: “Her campaign itself was arranged by Chinese state security.”
Before presenting the Zoom interview, Hontiveros stated in her opening remarks that they had attempted to request an interview with She through the Philippine embassy in Thailand. However, the request was denied for diplomatic reasons.
She is currently under strict surveillance in Thai prisons, limiting his communication with the outside world.
Wang, however, mentioned that She is grateful to the Philippines and believes he has not harmed the Filipino people. As a result, She is willing to cooperate with the Philippine government.