Chinese Government Claims Arrest of CIA Spy Collecting Military Intelligence in China
The Chinese government has announced the arrest of a CIA spy who was allegedly involved in collecting sensitive military information in China. State-run media reported on Friday that the Ministry of State Security (MSS) had taken lawful coercive measures to eliminate the threat posed by the suspect, identified as Zeng. According to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the arrest was made in accordance with the recently introduced Counter-Espionage Law, which aims to expand the definition of espionage to cover national security interests.
Zeng, who previously worked for a Chinese military-industrial group and had access to classified information, allegedly came into contact with a US Embassy official named Seth during a company study abroad trip to Italy. It is claimed that Seth gradually developed a relationship with Zeng, convincing him to question his faith in the Chinese political system. Seth then revealed himself as a CIA operative and allegedly persuaded Zeng to provide sensitive Chinese military information in exchange for substantial rewards and assistance with immigrating to the United States.
After returning to China, Zeng allegedly met with CIA operatives on multiple occasions, providing them with sensitive intelligence in exchange for funding. However, he was eventually apprehended by China’s national security department and is now awaiting prosecution.
In response to the arrest, the MSS has launched a campaign on the Chinese social media platform WeChat, urging citizens from all sectors of society to participate in the country’s counter-espionage efforts. The Chinese government has also intensified national security theory education nationwide, providing citizens with the necessary knowledge to identify and report espionage activities.
In a separate development, the Chinese military has been conducting military boot camps for young children across the country. These camps, operating under the guise of National Defense Education, involve training kindergarteners to use firearms and emulate soldiers. The children are taught to revere martyrs from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and are exposed to handling toy weapons such as grenades, rifles, and mortars.
The CIA has yet to comment on the Chinese government’s claims, and it remains to be seen how this recent arrest will impact US-China relations. Nonetheless, these developments highlight the ongoing intelligence rivalry between the two global powers and shed light on China’s efforts to counterespionage through legislation and public awareness campaigns.
