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By (author) Joske, Alex

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A forensic and gripping examination of China”s intelligence work globally.

Spies and Lies by Alex Joske is a groundbreaking exposé of elite influence operations by China’s little-known Ministry of State Security. Revealing for the first time how the Chinese Communist Party has tasked its spies to deceive the world, it challenges the conventional account of China’s past, present and future.

Mere years ago, Western governments chose to cooperate with China in the hope that it would liberalise, setting aside concerns about human rights abuses, expansionism and espionage. But the axiom of China”s ”peaceful rise” has been fundamentally challenged by the Chinese Communist Party’s authoritarian behaviour under Xi Jinping.

How did we get it wrong for so long?

Spies and Lies pierces the Ministry of State Security’s walls of secrecy and reveals how agents of the Chinese Communist Party have spent nearly 40 years manipulating Western leaders’ attitudes – from an Australian prime minister to the US Congress, prominent think tanks and the FBI – about China’s rise. Through interviews with defectors and intelligence officers, classified Chinese intelligence documents and original investigations, the book unmasks dozens of active Chinese intelligence officers along with global MSS fronts including travel agencies, writers associations, publishing houses, alumni associations, newspapers, Buddhist retreats, a record company and charities.

Spies and Lies is an extraordinary insight into the most successful influence operation in history, one which has fooled the West for years, and indispensable reading.

Review quote
”Mr. Joske’s incisive history and analysis provides a much-needed look inside Beijing’s complex, often ruthlessly effective efforts to shape and soften Western responses to its rapid global ascendance.” –
Dan Blumenthal, Wall Street Journal

”The revelations by Joske – an ultra-talented researcher into the Chinese Communist Party’s covert influence ops – will keep you up all night reading, learning and marvelling at how Beijing’s agents pulled the wool over the eyes of the world for so long. A brilliant book.”
– Matt Pottinger, former US Deputy National Security Advisor

”Alex Joske is one of the leading researchers on the subject of Chinese Communist Party influence and interference around the world”
– Josh Rogin, The Washington Post

”There are only a handful of researchers in Australia of whom it can be said their work has a truly global impact. Alex is one of them.”
– Clive Hamilton, author of Silent Invasion

”Fearless and forthright, Alex Joske has for years now been ahead of the media and academic pack in chasing the story of how the Commuinst Party’s intelligence and influence apparatus operates abroad.”
– Nick McKenzie, The Age

”Joske, only a couple of years removed from university, has quickly risen to prominence on issues of Chinese government influence.”
– David Barboza, The Wire China

”Alex Joske is one of the most innovative and impressive voices on China policy today.”
– Mike Gallagher, Member of US Congress

Review quote
Mr. Joske’s incisive history and analysis provides a much-needed look inside Beijing’s complex, often ruthlessly effective efforts to shape and soften Western responses to its rapid global ascendance.

Biographical note

Alex Joske was the youngest-ever analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and is known for breaking open new fields of research through meticulous Chinese-language investigations grounded in authoritative and independently verifiable sources. His research in the hotly