China’s state security authority reveals three foreign espionage cases targeting public servants

China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) on Thursday disclosed three cases involving foreign espionage and intelligence agencies setting traps targeting Chinese public servants for infiltration operations and intelligence theft. 

According to a statement released by the MSS, foreign espionage and intelligence agencies have in recent years become increasingly active in carrying out infiltration and intelligence theft against China. Some public servants have caused serious leaks due to a lack of firm beliefs, weakened discipline, and diminished awareness of rules, which not only ruin their own futures but also pose threats to national security and interests. 

In one of the cases, a fresh college graduate surnamed Zhang who was recruited by a primary-level unit and was promoted to deputy head of a department at the age of 28 due to outstanding work performance, became the youngest mid-level official. 

However, as Zhang's career progressed smoothly, his awareness of confidentiality gradually weakened, leading to breaches in both work and secrecy discipline. 

On one occasion, after receiving three classified documents during a meeting, Zhang failed to return them to his unit for proper storage as required. Instead, he took the documents home. 

At home, Zhang disclosed the contents of the documents without authorization to his relative surnamed Li during a conversation, and even allowed Li to view the document. Seizing the opportunity, Li secretly photographed the documents and transmitted the classified information abroad, resulting in serious consequences. 

Investigations revealed that Li had long been engaging in espionage under the direction of a foreign intelligence agency, waiting for an opportunity to steal China's classified documents. Li was ultimately held criminally responsible for illegally providing state secrets overseas. Zhang was subject to Party disciplinary action and demoted from working position. 

In another case, a government official surnamed Hou participated with a casual attitude in online gambling during a FIFA World Cup. However, driven by greed, he quickly escalated from small bets to large-scale gambling, ultimately accumulating massive debt and losing all his savings. 

In order to cover his gambling losses, Hou turned to the classified documents he had access to through his work. He took the initiative to contact a foreign espionage agency and, taking advantage of his position, repeatedly photographed classified materials and transmitted them abroad, illegally profiting over 70,000 yuan ($9,749.95). In the end, Hou was held criminally liable for the crime of illegally providing state secrets overseas.

In the third case, a provincial government employee, surnamed Li, traveled abroad to attend a short-term training program for work purposes. During the trip, Li, who was unable to resist seduction, fell into a "honey trap" meticulously orchestrated by agents of a foreign espionage agency. 

Afterward, the foreign agency used compromising private photos of Li to blackmail him into joining their espionage organization. Under coercion, Li reluctantly completed the recruitment process. 

Upon returning to China, Li hoped to get away with it and did not report the incident to the authorities. Worse still, he went on to repeatedly pass work-related documents to the foreign espionage agency. 

Ultimately, Li was convicted of espionage and sentenced to five years in prison, with political rights deprived for three years. 

According to the MSS, these cases show that incidents of information leakage often lurk in the seemingly trivial details of daily work and life. Without firm ideals and beliefs or a strong sense of discipline and rules, individuals can easily be influenced, manipulated, or coerced - eventually falling into the trap of criminal schemes set by foreign espionage agencies. 

All citizens, especially public servants, must remain vigilant, act with caution and restraint, and always keep the importance of confidentiality in mind, safeguarding the national security through concrete actions, the MSS said.