The existence of the department is far from a secret. A decades-old and well-documented arm of the Chinese Communist Party, it has been mired in controversy before. Investigators from the US to Australia have cited the UFWD in multiple espionage cases, often accusing Beijing of using it for foreign interference.

Thugs bussed to a demonstration to assault anti-China activists in California. Relatives held hostage to force an individual to steal corporate secrets from an employer to hand over to Beijing. Intimidating Chinese nationals by following them in the streets of London to send the message “we are watching you”.