2024-09-05 12:58:29
China’s top intelligence agency has warned students who have access to sensitive information to be wary of “handsome men and beautiful women” who may only appear to show feelings for them in order to trick them into spying for foreign entities, thereby national security was threatened, Reuters reported today.
The Ministry of State Security of the People’s Republic of China today released on its public WeChat social media account detailed warnings about students who the ministry said could be manipulated into sharing information in a number of ways.
The ministry said state security services had found that officials of foreign espionage structures and intelligence agencies had carried out targeted courting and indoctrination of young students.
“They capitalize on the characteristics of young students’ strong curiosity and willingness to try new things,” the statement said.
China has been cracking down on perceived threats to state security, issuing several warnings to citizens this year and publicizing cases of espionage it has uncovered.
Foreign intelligence agency officials are more specifically targeting students with access to classified and sensitive information. They posed as university researchers, employees of research institutions and consulting companies, Chinese intelligence said.
Agents of foreign organizations lure young students “with high-paying hourly opportunities in the name of market research and academic exchanges,” the warning added.
Once students show interest, Chinese intelligence said, foreign agencies will provide so-called free training and guidance through social media, by phone or by video link. It is even possible that they mislead under the guise of “nice men and beautiful women who are affectionate and caring (and) drag young students into the trap of love with insincere feelings,” writes BTA.
China’s intelligence agency did not provide specific data on foreign companies that aimed to attract students. The agency could not be reached for immediate comment.