The Ministry of State Security in China has announced the detention of a military industrial group worker who is suspected of spying for the CIA. This development comes amidst escalated tensions between Beijing and Washington surrounding accusations of espionage.
According to reports, China’s civilian spy agency, the Ministry of State Security, made a statement on WeChat, the country’s main social media platform, revealing the arrest of an individual named Zeng. The agency alleges that Zeng provided military secrets to the CIA in exchange for a substantial amount of money.
The ministry’s statement, as quoted by The Associated Press, states that Zeng, aged 52, was sent to Italy by his employer and there he met with a U.S. Embassy official who turned out to be a CIA agent.
In recent weeks, China passed legislation expanding the definition of espionage. The government has also encouraged its citizens to participate in counter-spying operations. The Ministry for State Security emphasized the need for citizens to report suspicious activities and offered rewards. The expansion of anti-espionage measures has raised concerns among U.S. officials, with the State Department spokesperson expressing worries over encouraging citizens to spy on each other.
The CIA has not yet commented on the situation. However, this incident is expected to further strain the already tense relationship between Washington and Beijing, as both countries grapple with disputes related to hacking and spying. Just last week, two U.S. Navy sailors were arrested for allegedly sharing military secrets with China. Additionally, Chinese hackers were reported to have breached government email accounts, affecting numerous agencies. In February, the Biden administration also encountered a Chinese spy balloon that they claimed was for monitoring weather patterns, while China denied any spying intentions.
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