季風人文講壇第99期：Dennis Molinaro

China's Secret War in Canada and What It Means for the United States

with Dennis Molinaro

February 6, 2026｜In English 

For decades, Western governments believed economic engagement would lead to political liberalization. Drawing on his book Under Assault, Dennis Molinaro challenges this assumption by tracing how Beijing conducted long-term campaigns of espionage, political interference, and influence operations — using Canada as a strategic testing ground with direct implications for the United States. This talk examines how democratic institutions were compromised, why warning signs were ignored, and what lessons can be drawn for defending open societies today.

About the Speaker 

Dennis Molinaro (牟丹尼) is a former national security analyst and policy advisor for the Canadian federal government. He holds a PhD from the University of Toronto and specializes in the history of security, counterintelligence, and foreign interference. His research and commentary focus on how democratic states respond — and sometimes fail to respond — to covert threats. Molinaro is a frequent media commentator and has taught courses on espionage, human rights law, and national security at leading Canadian universities.

About the Book

National security expert Dennis Molinaro uncovers Beijing’s five-decade campaign to influence and interfere in Canadian political life—from early cultivation of future leaders to today’s foreign-interference scandals in Ottawa. Under Assault shows how the Chinese Communist Party has long viewed Canada as a strategic staging ground for pressure, espionage, and influence operations aimed ultimately at the United States. Drawing on interviews, diaspora testimonies, and newly declassified intelligence documents, Molinaro reveals how cyber theft, political manipulation, and intimidation have quietly shaped democratic institutions, markets, and policy choices—offering Canada, and the world, a stark early warning about the global reach of China’s influence operations.