More insights about links between Beijing and U.K. lenders were revealed following a database leak on nearly 2 million registered Chinese Communist Party members.
The leak, reported by the U.K. media «The Mail on Sunday», featured information regarding 1.95 million registered party members and their reach into British entities across the defense, financial, pharmaceutical and the public sector.
Analysis of the database showed that at HSBC and Standard Chartered – both spotlighted for their public support for Beijing over the national security law earlier this year – more than 600 members were employees across 19 branches in 2016.
Party Loyalty
Although the report notes that it has not discovered espionage activity conducted at any of the firms it analyzed, it highlighted an oath of loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party and provide insights into Beijing’s political practices.
«It is my will to join the Communist Party of China, uphold the Party's program, observe the provisions of the Party Constitution, fulfill a Party member's duties, carry out the Party's decisions, strictly observe Party discipline, guard Party secrets, be loyal to the Party, work hard, fight for communism throughout my life, be ready at all times to sacrifice my all for the Party and the people, and never betray the Party,» reads the oath which needs to be made with a raised fist in front of the national flag, according to the report.
The database was allegedly leaked on encrypted messaging app Telegram by a Chinese dissident to the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), a group of over 150 legislators worldwide reforming democratic countries’ approach to China.
