Measures target espionage that has increased as China’s influence grows
An undisclosed military base in China has banned cars with event data recorders from entering its military areas as an anti-espionage precaution, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Daily reported Monday.
According to the report, event data recorders can record sensitive information such as military activities and the lay of the land in and around military areas, which could lead to leaks of important intelligence.
Media outlets have recently reported on a number of anti-espionage cases involving both military personnel and ordinary people.
“Espionage activities have become increasingly active in China in recent years as the nation sees a growing global influence,” Li Wei, an expert at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times.
“China is entering a crucial period. Many foreign countries are eager to get inside information about its national strategies, as others sabotage the country’s development,” Song Zhongping, a Beijing-based military expert, told the Global Times last week.
Apart from military servicemen and government employees, overseas espionage organizations have been targeting ordinary Chinese citizens to help collect inside information, Li added.
According to a report by the Yangtze Evening News in May, security authorities in Jiangsu Province made arrests in three espionage cases involving three ordinary Internet users who were recruited by overseas espionage agents.
“Some Chinese citizens were lured by overseas espionage agencies with generous rewards, while others may not even realize that they are leaking sensitive information when they are paid to do some so-called scientific research or projects,” Li said, adding that ordinary Chinese citizens can draw little attention from authorities, while some live quite close to military facilities, allowing them to collect information easily.
“Espionage can affect every citizen, so the government should enhance the security and secrecy consciousness of ordinary people,” Song said.
Hainan and Jilin provinces have launched anti-espionage hotlines, through which people can report suspected espionage, media reported.
Advanced technologies have also facilitated frequent espionage activities recently, experts warned.
According to Li, the Internet and other technologies such as GPS and data recorders have promoted espionage activities in China, causing the leakage of important information.
A government employee accidentally logged into a website which had been infected with a virus by overseas espionage agencies, causing the spread of the virus in the government sector, the Jiangxi-based newspaper Nanchang Daily reported earlier this month.
“Overseas espionage agencies often use viruses to collect information. A virus may be spread through websites or portable storage devices and cause the leaks of inside information,” Li said.
China passed a counter-espionage law in 2014 aimed at tightening State security.