China warns foreign spies are hiring teens to steal state secrets and sensitive data

Anti-espionage agency says Chinese students tricked into sharing information on military facilities and other infrastructure for money

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China’s top anti-spy agency cautions that foreign agents sometimes use pyramid scheme tactics to convince teenagers to recruit their friends. Photo: Robert Ng

Published: 8:00pm, 6 Dec 2024

China’s top anti-espionage agency has warned that foreign agents are recruiting Chinese teenagers to collect sensitive information, exploiting their lack of judgment and awareness of national security risks.

The Ministry of State Security said in an article posted on social media on Friday that overseas intelligence agencies “package illegal activities and set traps, aiming to manipulate and deceive minors into doing their bidding to steal state secrets”.

Their methods include approaching students online and “promising lucrative and simple part-time jobs” to lure minors into their traps, the ministry said.

It noted that in some cases, the teens were asked to take photos or collect information about military facilities.

The ministry warned that foreign spies sometimes employ tactics similar to pyramid schemes to entice their targets into recruiting their friends and classmates.

“This strategy maximises their ability to collect and steal intelligence. Such cases often involve many individuals and pose significant harm,” it said.

The article cited the case of a high school student in an unidentified coastal region. The student, surnamed Wu, was approached online by someone claiming to represent a company offering part-time work that involved taking photos of local billboards. Initially wary, Wu’s caution waned after earning a referral bonus for convincing a classmate to join.