"Are You Not a Spy?"

Comparing my early years attending maritime meetings and networking with people in the field, I feel a bit more comfortable now. But back in 2018, when I had no contacts at all in Maritime industry and knew nothing about maritime matters, about boating, I felt it very daunting to be in that space. I had to push myself very hard to attend those meetings, as I had no confidence talking to people. The fact that English is my second language didn’t help either; but I forced myself to go because I had a mission.

I still remember one moment clearly. At a maritime conference in Sydney, a very tall man walked up to me and said, “Are you not a spy?”“

I froze for a second trying to hide my timidness and replied: “Hi, that’s a very unique greeting!”

It dawned on me later that I was the only Asian-looking woman in that large crowd. Strangely, he didn’t ask the usual question—whether I was Chinese or Japanese. Had he done so, I would have given him my standard response: “Have a guess?” Ironically, these days if I return to China, where I was born and lived for 30 years, I might be suspected of being a spy there—just for holding an Australian passport.

But seriously, do I look like a spy? The word “spy” does have a certain glamour—thanks to the iconic, suave and cool image of 007.

Is it actually cool to be a spy in real life? Ask Australian Chinese reporter Cheng Lei, who just came back to her Aussie home after three years in detention in China on espionage charges.