China rejects 'completely groundless' accusation it was targeting Kiwis through LinkedIn

Friday, 5 June 2026

China has hit out at the New Zealand Government for the second time in two days, rejecting a claim from spy agencies that it has attempted to gain sensitive information through LinkedIn.

The NZSIS and Five Eyes intelligence partners warned on Thursday that the Chinese military was using job sites like LinkedIn to target people who had security clearances with fake analyst roles, which they then used to pressure them for sensitive information.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Wellington suggested in a statement that this was malicious misinformation from partners in the Five Eyes network that had tricked New Zealand.

“The relevant accusations made by the ‘Five Eyes’ are completely groundless, conflating right and wrong. They are nothing but smears and slanders against China to serve their political agenda. We urge the New Zealand side see things as they really are and exercise independent judgement rather than blindly echoing the positions of others,” the statement read.

Read more:

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The Five Eyes intelligence network is made up of New Zealand, the United States, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom.

The statement said it was “ironic” of the Five Eyes to accuse China of espionage.

“The spokesperson noted that as the world’s largest intelligence cooperation network, the ‘Five Eyes’ has long been engaging in massive systemic espionage all over the world. It is ironic that such an organization is accusing China of ‘spy threat.’”

The new fracas comes after it was revealed earlier this week that China had instituted a travel ban on four Kiwi MPs following their trip to Taiwan in May.

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters expressed surprise and discontent at this, noting the visit was not inconsistent with the ‘one-China principle’ as the MPs were not part of the Government.

“New Zealand MPs have visited Taiwan for decades and such visits are not inconsistent with New Zealand’s One China policy,” a spokesman for Peters said.

“In the context of that long history, the minister was surprised to learn that China has taken a decision to, for the first time, impose travel bans on New Zealand MPs as a result of travel to Taiwan.”

“He has instructed Mfat officials in Beijing and Wellington to discuss this matter with the Chinese system, in order to express concern at this departure from past practice and to better understand it.”

The Chinese Embassy issued a statement arguing the Government should not be surprised as MPs were “not ordinary citizens”.