Report: Shin Bet sets up 'Chinese unit'
Academic paper by Shin Bet commander reveals Israel seeking improved intelligence gathering on China
An academic paper submitted by a senior Shin Bet official studying at Derby University revealed that Israel’s internal intelligence agency has launched a unit specializing in China.
Set up few months ago, the unit has launched a recruitment scheme for collecting and analyzing intelligence on China.
“The Chinese Unit” is recruiting fluent speakers of Chinese and Hebrew for a starting salary of NIS 8,000 (USD 1750). Successful recruits may sign a 4-year contract which will see their salary rise to NIS 9,000.
“The Chinese Unit was set up in the wake of the economic boom in the Far East over the last few years, and improved trade relations especially in the military and technological fields,” the paper read.
The paper added that since trade relations between Israel and China started in the mid-90s under the initiative of Israeli millionaire Shaul Izenberg, the Shin Bet and Foreign Defense Assistance and Defense Export Department (SIBAT) have been able to inspect and control trade activities.
SIBAT is responsible for procurement, contractual, legal, financial and economical aspects of IDF activities.
“Over the last five years the annual trade of China is estimated in billions of dollars with different government and private mediators whose activities is difficult to monitor, in particular China’s purchase of advanced military technologies," the paper read. "The recruitment campaign includes students who studied in China over the last few years and who speak the language and are familiar with the culture.”
