Beijing’s Emerging Corps of Foreign Service Nationals and Proxies

The Jamestown China Brief, 29 May 2026

Matt Brazil

Here is a summary of my research detailing how the PRC is pursuing relatively new initiatives:

1) Contracting local enforcers to suppress protests outside some of their embassies and consulates, and

2) Hiring host country citizens to work inside Chinese diplomatic posts in the public relations/media and consular sections, in several countries including in the U.S. and UK.

3) In one unique example, at the Chinese consulate at Perth, Australia, a position for a locally hired investigator was posted.

For the full article go to Jamestown.org

Executive Summary:

• The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is increasingly employing locally hired foreign nationals as staff in its foreign mission abroad. This departs from its previous model where diplomatic missions were staffed exclusively by Chinese citizens.

• Recent incidents in PRC consulates in New York and Los Angeles show the PRC is hiring local security contractors to act as violent enforcers, silencing opposition against the PRC and advance its political objectives in the host country.

• The PRC employs members of the Chinese diaspora as local foreign service nationals to improve its diplomatic mission’s understanding of local linguistic, cultural, and political environments.