Par Le Figaro with AFP
Published
3 hours ago,
Updated 2 hours ago
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Beijing said Wednesday that foreign powers are using online job offers and dating to lure young students, especially those with access to sensitive scientific research data.
The Chinese state warned on Wednesday that students with access to sensitive information should be wary of: “handsome boys” or some “beautiful girls” likely to encourage them to spy for foreign powers. The ministry accuses foreign intelligence services of deploying numerous stratagems to gain the trust of students, in particular through encouragement, emotional support or even remuneration for certain services.
According to the ministry, foreign powers are using job offers and online dating to “attract” young students, especially those with access to “sensitive scientific research data”. “They can even disguise themselves under the false guise of “handsome boys” or “beautiful girls” and lead young students into “love traps” where false feelings are the order of the day.”at-the having you.
“Wolves in sheep’s clothing”
The Ministry of State Security did not name any specific country that may be engaging in such activity. It warned, however, that spies could pose as academics, researchers or consultants and lure cash-strapped students into a “targeted infiltration”The ministry had already warned the general public a few days ago against these “wolves in sheep’s clothing”that is, foreign agents posing as “good Samaritans”.
Since Xi Jinping, the most powerful and authoritarian Chinese leader in decades, took over the Communist Party in late 2012, Beijing has stepped up its warnings against foreign powers seeking to slow the country’s rise. The Ministry of State Security regularly warns citizens of potential spies seeking to push, often through trickery, loyal Chinese into betraying their country. This trend has accelerated since the ministry, which specializes in counterintelligence, opened an account on the Chinese social network WeChat last year, on which it regularly posts warnings.
China and Western countries regularly accuse each other of espionage. In June, Beijing accused the British intelligence agency MI6 of recruiting a couple who worked for the Chinese government to spy for the United Kingdom. On Tuesday, a former aide to the governor of New York state was arrested in the United States, accused of working as an agent for China in exchange for millions of euros.
