00:00In the last hearing, NICA committed to look into reports on Gua Huaping's involvement
00:08in the intelligence activities of a foreign government.
00:12Are you able to speak to this now?
00:15Can you confirm that Gua Huaping is an agent of influence?
00:21Madam Chair, in addressing that question, there was a supervening event wherein what
00:30was being thrown around in the public sphere and in the media was that, well, whether or
00:34not Gua Huaping was a spy.
00:38And in our coordinations with the committee, we acknowledged that the term has been loosely
00:44used.
00:45However, since this is a hearing in aid of legislation, and given the fact that there
00:52are current efforts to amend our espionage law, as well as to pass a foreign law to counter
01:01foreign influence and foreign interference, we would like to be as specific and as accurate
01:10as we would like to be.
01:12We would like to distinguish between a foreign intelligence agent and an agent of influence,
01:17because they are different.
01:19As to the question whether or not Gua Huaping is a spy, or to be more accurate, a foreign
01:24intelligence agent, it requires a determination of fact, meaning that the intelligence agency
01:31to which that trained her, employed her and supervised her or controlled her, either confirms
01:42or an officer of that agency confirms the existence or the fact rather of Ms. Gua Huaping
01:50being their agent.
01:55We have not come to that determination yet, Madam Chair.
01:58Which brings us to the question, is she an agent of influence?
02:03We do not have currently any legislation or any convention in our country that defines
02:10what an agent of influence is.
02:12However, within an historical context, Madam Chair, given that these activities have been
02:17common, especially during the Cold War, the activities and the facts that have come to
02:25light so far in this committee and in other committees, especially in the House, point
02:30to the fact that she is.
02:31And even in discussions within the intelligence community, there is consensus that indeed
02:37she is an agent of influence.
02:40What does that mean?
02:41If I may just read, Madam Chair, there are several ways to define an agent of influence.
02:51What is applicable and on the part of Ms. Gua Huaping is that she uses her influence,
03:01her stature or her position to influence public opinion or decision-making to produce results
03:08beneficial to the country whose services they benefit from.
03:16So to that effect, Madam Chair, that is applicable to her and therefore she may be classified
03:22as such, although we would like to acknowledge that there is no law currently that defines
03:28it as such.
03:29However, intelligence and counterintelligence convention, which falls under our purview,
03:36recognizes that convention, Madam Chair.
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