Data leaked by a Chinese company on prominent New Zealanders could be linked to attempts to influence NZ politics and business, says Canterbury University professor Anne-Marie Brady. The names of 793 New Zealanders have been found in data leaked from Zhenhua Data to an American academic. A specialist in political interference from China, Brady said the Chinese Communist Party was trying to cultivate relationships with economic and political leaders worldwide. Labour MP Phil Twyford said he was "horrified" one of his family members was included in the leaked data from the Chinese company. "Am I concerned that anyone is harvesting information from the internet about the family members of politicians, let alone a foreign government?

Source: Stuff September 16, 2020 00:28 UTC