China’s State Security Ministry has called for greater involvement of its citizens in counter-espionage efforts, urging the creation of channels for reporting suspicious activities and offering commendations and rewards for such actions. The ministry emphasized the need to establish a system that normalizes public participation in counter-espionage, according to its inaugural post on its WeChat account.
This appeal to popularize anti-spying work among the masses comes after an expansion of China’s counter-espionage law, which took effect in July. The revised law prohibits the transfer of unspecified information related to national security and interests, raising concerns in the United States about potential punishment for regular business activities conducted by foreign companies in China. As part of the updated legislation, authorities are granted access to data, electronic equipment, and personal property information while conducting anti-espionage investigations.
National security is a top priority in China, with the Minister of State Security, Chen Yixin, emphasizing that the core of political security is the protection of China’s political system and the leadership and ruling position of the Communist Party of China and the socialist system with Chinese characteristics.
In recent years, China has apprehended several individuals, both Chinese and foreign, on suspicion of espionage, leading to notable cases like the detention of an executive at a Japanese drugmaker and an Australian journalist accused of providing state secrets to another country.
China’s assertion of being under threat from spies coincides with accusations from Western nations, primarily the United States, of Chinese espionage and cyberattacks—a charge that Beijing refutes, even labeling the U.S. as the “empire of hacking.”
To bolster its defenses against espionage, China recognizes the importance of involving its citizens in building a robust defense line, as stated in the WeChat post by the State Security Ministry.