Sender advises Shi Rong to move on from relationship with older man
A recently translated email from the inbox of Shi Rong, the Xinhua news agency reporter who exchanged messages with Conservative MP Bob Dechert, includes references to a relationship with an older man that had taken a turn for the worse. In the email with the subject line “Old Fox,” the sender advises Shi to forget the “sad tales” about how an older man kept her waiting. “Sweep him into the dust bin, he is not good enough for you,” reads the email dated June 26, 2010. Dechert’s name is never mentioned in the email, which is among the more than 240 that were released to the media last week from Shi’s inbox. There were several amorous messages from Dechert, however, who is parliamentary secretary to the Foreign Affairs minister. Dechert, who is married, maintains he has a friendly and “innocent” relationship with Shi. He has also apologized for sending “flirtatious” emails to Rong. The opposition NDP has called for Dechert’s resignation, saying that his relationship with the Xinhua reporter is problematic because the news agency has close ties with the Chinese government. Many analysts and counter-intelligence agencies consider Xinhua to be a de facto intelligence gathering organization of the Communist Party of China.