Chinese intelligence agents allegedly attempted to exploit a Belgian politician’s rival in a bid to gain information on a leading China critic, local media have reported.
According to investigations by Le Soir, Knack, De Tijd, and RTBF, Chinese operatives approached Eric Dosogne, then mayor of Huy, in 2020, hoping to obtain sensitive details about Samuel Cogolati, a Belgian MP known for his critical stance on Beijing.
Dosogne, a socialist and political opponent of Cogolati, reportedly had strong ties with China through a city friendship agreement. It’s understood that these links made him a target for Chinese intelligence services.
Belgian security officials, who had tapped the phone of the Chinese agent involved, intervened on at least two occasions. They warned Dosogne about the potential espionage risk.
Following this, intelligence services also issued warnings to Cogolati and Paul Magnette, head of Belgium’s French-speaking Socialist Party (PS), over the growing threat of foreign interference.
Dosogne has declined to comment on the allegations. The Belgian intelligence agencies also refused to speak publicly about the case.
This isn’t an isolated incident. In December 2023, far-right politician Frank Creyelman was expelled from the Vlaams Belang party after being found guilty of helping push Chinese narratives. His actions reportedly touched on hot-button topics, including:
- Beijing’s crackdown in Hong Kong
- The treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang
Cogolati, co-chair of Belgium’s Greens party, has long been a thorn in Beijing’s side. Since being sanctioned by China in March 2021, he has:
- Opposed Alibaba’s logistics hub project in Liège
- Condemned forced Uyghur labour
- Campaigned to limit Huawei’s role in Belgium’s 5G infrastructure
He’s also a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) — a group uniting lawmakers around the world in opposition to China’s human rights abuses. His advocacy has made him a repeated target, including through a reported cyberattack.
Both Cogolati and Dosogne are based in Huy, a small town with outsized geopolitical significance. Huy is home to one of Europe’s largest Tibetan Buddhist centres — a site frequently visited by the Dalai Lama. Its presence may further explain Beijing’s heightened interest in local politics.
The revelations shed light on the subtle yet persistent tactics China may use to sway political narratives in Europe. As Belgian officials continue to speak out against human rights abuses and Chinese influence, they also face an increasing need to shield their democratic institutions from foreign meddling.
