TOP SPY CATCHER ALLEGED TO HAVE DEFECTED TO U.S.

Rumours that China's top “spy catcher” has defected to the U.S. were swirling Friday amid a growing focus in Washington on the theory that COVID-19 escaped from a Wuhan laboratory.

Dong Jingwei, a vice-minister of state security responsible for counter-intelligence, was reported to have flown from Hong Kong to the U.S. in February with his daughter.

Although China did not officially comment, the social media account of the Central Political Legal Affairs Commission, the top law enforcement agency, claimed Dong had warned spies to watch out for “insiders” who collude with “anti-china” forces.

Dr. Han Lianchao, a former Chinese foreign ministry official who is now a pro-democracy activist with the Citizen Power Initiative for China in Washington, claimed Dong had defected. Han said it was discussed by senior U.S. and Chinese officials meeting in Alaska last month.