Chinese-run Brussels networking club raises intelligence concerns

A Chinese-led networking club in Brussels, the Global CEOs Dinner Club, has raised intelligence concerns, according to a Western intelligence source. The club, which recently began operations in France, is perceived as an influence and intelligence-gathering network akin to China’s United Front. This Communist Party organization has a history of promoting Beijing’s interests through various entities abroad and may involve intelligence gathering, as suggested by the source.

Belgian authorities have recently launched espionage investigations, including probes into a former Chinese-Belgian researcher in the semiconductor industry and a Canadian national working at NATO in Mons. The club’s founder, Yifei Yang, studied in China and at a European institute in Nice before launching the organization in Brussels last March.

French media reported last week that her activities had alerted Western intelligence agencies. While Yang denies China’s involvement, her activities align with the modus operandi of the United Front. The club, which has 20 members from various countries, focuses on business and societal impact, with 10% of its revenue allocated to NGOs and charities.

Notable speakers at recent events include representatives from Belgian semiconductor research center imec and Le Refuge, an LGBTQIA+ shelter for young adults. Belgian Senator Marie-Claire Mvumbi, who attended an event on diversity, praised the club’s impression. Yang aims to expand the organization to France, with a female executives event scheduled for November at the Le Meurice hotel in Paris.