back to article WikiLeaks: East Timor knocked back high-tech Chinese spy base

Australia’s northern neighbour East Timor recently knocked back Chinese offers to build a free radar to monitor shipping, on the suspicion that Beijing actually wanted to build a spy base in the tiny nation. The allegation is contained in WikiLeaks cables which, for the moment at least, have been handed exclusively to Fairfax …

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  1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

    I should think so

    If they want an base of their own on the other side of the world they should send a gunboat, kick the natives out and build it themselves - like civilised people.

  2. ratfox
    Thumb Up

    How perceptive of Timor

    They accepted the boats, though. What is the radar on these boats?

    1. Francis Boyle Silver badge

      What is the radar on these boats?

      Wired up to Huawei 3g units* which as we know send all their data straight back to the PLA.

      *Black helicopter because I'm using one now.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Chinese military intelligence are obviously complete amateurs

    If they wanted to get a military radar system installed for nefarious purposes, they should have just claimed it was a ludicrously overspecified civilian system, attached an extortionate price tag and bribed local political and administrative figures to get the deal approved. After all, it worked for BAe in Tanzania.

    http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/bae-faces-fine-over-tanzanian-radar-contract-2165651.html

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/jan/15/bae.armstrade

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    A bit obvious, no?

    Today only! Free radar monitoring station to keep an eye on all your commercial shipping. It doesn't track military shipping at all. No, definitely not. All I ask of you is that my guys run it. But remember, it's FREE!!

    Not suspicious at all. Nope, I see no issues with that at all.

  5. NogginTheNog

    How dare they!

    Does anyone have a list of how many bases the US has around the world? I imagine more than a few of those came in to being by questionable means...

  6. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

    @How dare they

    On the contrary - the US bases on the North York moors are a necessary and proportionate response to the problem of American tourist being attacked by werewolves in the area.

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