Mr Zheng, whose trial is currently taking place at the Longueuil courthouse, has decided not to testify in his defence, as he has the right to do. However, the Crown released a video recording of statements he made to Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers following his arrest in 2021.

“I have done nothing to harm the country. “I’m trying to help the country,” he tells an investigator in the video.

When the police officer points out that he has spoken to Canadian space exploration companies to persuade them to collaborate with Spacety, a Chinese satellite company, Mr. Zheng replies that he sees nothing wrong with this collaboration. .

“I wasn’t sure if I shouldn’t do this. Because I believe it will not harm Canada. And I am loyal to Canada. I think that’s a good thing,” he emphasizes.

The scientist also explains to the police officer that international cooperation, including with China, is part of his mandate within the government agency.

“It’s part of my job!” I was even asked to contact the Chinese space agency about CSA. OK ? To arrange a meeting of the President of the ASC with the Chinese. For what ? Because I am a Chinese from ASC,” he said.

“I traveled to China twice with an ASC delegation,” the scientist continues.

I’m not talking about your work

During his interrogation by the police, he also regrets the suspicions that weigh on him because he was born in China. He says he was interrogated by agents of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), the agency responsible for counterintelligence in Canada, solely because of his background.

“They interviewed me several times. Because I’m Chinese. Because I have to go to China. Because I have connections to China. But all the Chinese people here today have connections to China. My mother still lives in China, I have to go back to visit her. I have two sisters. “Growing up there, you obviously have several friends,” he explains.

“The only thing is that I don’t talk about my work when I go there. What we are doing here. Because I have a certain level of security, I know that I’m not allowed to talk about it,” he continues.

In his statements to police, Mr. Zheng also criticized the poor funding of Canada’s space program and denigrated its leaders. “They don’t run the CSA like a space agency, they run it like some sort of Canadian post office. »

A partner that companies needed

The prosecution’s case is that Wanping Zheng used his key position at the Canadian Space Agency to further Spacety’s interests by contacting Canadian companies and enticing them to work for the Chinese company. These partners were in a situation of dependence on the Canadian Space Agency and one of them told the court that he was sorry for refusing because he did not want to offend Mr. Zheng, whom he needed for his projects with the Canadian government.

After ending his career at the Canadian Space Agency, Mr. Zheng became Vice President at Spacety.

The evidence has concluded in the trial and Judge Marc-Antoine Carette is expected to hear the case next week. The prosecution was represented by M^e Marc Cigana and M^e Samuel Monfette-Tessier of the Canadian Public Prosecution Service. The defense was taken over by M.^e Andrew Barbacki and M.^e Jordan Trevick.