China's civilian intelligence agency has exposed a Chinese national for allegedly giving secret military information to the CIA.
According to a statement released by China's Ministry of State Security on Friday, the suspect, who goes by the surname Zeng, had access to critical classified information while working for an unnamed Chinese military-industrial organization, reported by CNN.
According to the ministry, 52-year-old Zeng was sent to Italy by his company to further his education. A US embassy official apparently approached him while he was there, and over the course of their interactions-which included dinner parties, excursions, and opera viewings-they reportedly grew closer.
The ministry asserted that as their relationship progressed, the US diplomat exposed his identity as a CIA agent. Zeng was allegedly offered "a huge amount" of cash in addition to family immigration to the US in exchange for confidential information regarding the Chinese military.
An Espionage Deal With the US
Zeng signed an espionage deal with the US and got evaluation and training. After completing his studies, Zeng allegedly traveled back to China where he repeatedly met with CIA agents to offer "a large amount of core intelligence," according to the statement.
After discovering proof of Zeng's espionage activities during a probe, the ministry said it had taken "compulsory measures" against him. The prosecution has been given the case to evaluate and indict, it continued.
A week after two US Navy sailors in California were detained for allegedly giving classified US military secrets to Chinese intelligence agents, China made its disclosure regarding the accused CIA spy.
A civilian organization in China, the Ministry of State Security is in charge of domestic and international intelligence and counterintelligence. Its mandate has prompted comparisons to a combined CIA and FBI, although it is much more clandestine about its activity, without even an open website outlining its operations.
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The Fight Against Espionage
However, the ministry has become more well-known recently. It opened a public account on WeChat, China's leading social media platform, on August 1.
In it, it urged "all members of society" to join the fight against espionage and offered rewards and safety to those who provided information.
Although the two greatest economies in the world have always been rivals, the current worsening in relations has intensified this competition.
While Xi Jinping, China's most powerful and authoritarian leader in a generation, has made national security his top priority, China's Communist Party leadership has long promoted the idea that "foreign forces" are attempting to undermine the country's progress.
The scope of espionage was further broadened by China's amended counter-espionage law, which was unveiled last month.
According to The New York Times, CIA operations in China experienced a shocking setback starting in 2010 when the Chinese government assassinated or imprisoned more than a dozen sources over a two-year period.
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