China’s space programme targeted by ‘audacity’ of foreign agents, anti-spy agency warns

Ministry of State Security warns that foreign agents are targeting space scientists and researchers to steal information from China

Reading Time:2 minutes

A Shenzhou-19 spaceship and a Long March-2F carrier rocket are transferred to a launch platform on Tuesday. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 8:00pm, 23 Oct 2024Updated: 8:10pm, 23 Oct 2024

China’s top anti-espionage agency has warned that foreign agents have been attempting to steal information from the country’s space scientists, adding that it has stepped up its counter-intelligence efforts.

In an article posted on its official account on WeChat on Wednesday, the Ministry of State Security (MSS) said some countries attempted to use “infiltration and espionage activities” such as inducing or coercing the researchers to acquire China’s latest research advances.

Without identifying any particular country or disclosing details, the MSS said national security agencies had investigated and dealt with some cases, “effectively countering the audacity of foreign espionage agencies conducting intelligence activities against China”.

The MSS added that overseas spy agencies have recently been using high-precision remote sensing satellites to conduct surveillance and steal information.

Space security is “a crucial pillar and important component” of national security, the agency said, adding that it is essential to protecting the nation’s space assets, rights and orbital environment from threats posed by both natural conditions and human activities.

“Safeguarding space security has become a key strategy for determining a country’s future survival and development,” it said.

After achieving several milestones in recent years, China’s space programme last week unveiled an ambitious road map to surpass the United States and become the world leader in space science by 2050.