Chinese security agencies have warned Chinese students studying abroad to be wary of the risk of being recruited by foreign intelligence agencies and having their information leaked.
In a WeChat post on February 5th, China's Ministry of State Security recounted the story of a student surnamed Zhang who secured a place at a "top university" abroad despite failing the 2006 Chinese college entrance exam.
After graduating, this student was "severely punished" for his involvement in the leak of Chinese scientific research. Chinese authorities did not specify where or in which country Zhang studied, but said he was involved in overseas Chinese student associations and performed very well academically, which caught the attention of an official at his university.
This official allegedly helped Zhang contact two foreign agents and persuaded him to provide intelligence on Chinese international students as well as other "sensitive information" in exchange for money.
China's Ministry of State Security said these agents pledged to help Zhang get a job at a research institute in China, even though Zhang did not have the right qualifications, and asked him to help their colleagues gather information.
"Zhang destroyed his promising future" by being lured by foreign intelligence agencies and succumbing to the temptation of money, China's Ministry of State Security said, while warning students to be wary of national security risks and the ulterior motives behind seemingly harmless interactions while studying and going abroad.
Headquarters of China's Ministry of State Security. Photo: Wikidata
According to Chinese students who were questioned, they became targets because they were studying sensitive science and engineering majors, or potentially involved in programs of the China Scholarship Council, which is supported by the Chinese government .
China urged students not to panic and to remain calm in such situations. If the question involves state secrets or internal Chinese information, the person being questioned must refuse to answer.
In recent months, the Chinese government has intensified its focus on risks to national security. The Ministry of State Security has become more active on social media to warn about threats from foreign agents.
Last year, National Security Minister Chen Yi-xin stated that the country must "proactively defend" against foreign spies to enhance national security and party leadership. The new counter-espionage law, which came into effect in July 2023, expands both the definition of espionage and the investigative powers of national security agencies.
According to the Chinese Ministry of Education , more than 8 million students studied abroad from 1978 to the end of 2021, with the United States, the United Kingdom, and Singapore being the most popular destinations.
Huyen Le (According to SCMP , Global Times )
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