China recently arrested an alleged spy Chinese in the service of the Central Intelligence Agency (INC) American, reported today the Ministry of State Security.
According to the portfolio, the suspect, identified only by his last name zengwas sent by his company to Italy for higher education, where he made contact with an official from the US embassy.
The American earned the trust of Zeng, born in 1971, through invitations to dinners, trips and operas, and “instilled in him Western values”, states a statement from the Ministry published on his official Wechat social network account, which added that As a result of the entertainment, Zeng “began to doubt his political position.”
According to the statement, the official from the North American country revealed to Zeng his identity as an agent of the INC in Rome and offered him a large sum of money and the possibility of moving to USA with his family if he provided “relevant military information.”
Zeng accepted, “signed an espionage agreement with the US.” and “received training before returning to China,” the ministry said.
Once in his country, Zeng kept several secret contacts with the CIA, to whom he “supplied extensive information, charging for it.”
China has intensified its fight against espionage in recent months and has enacted a anti-espionage law which prohibits the transfer of any information related to national security and its interests, without specifically defining them.
Also, the Ministry of State Security requested this month the mobilization of “the whole of society” to “prevent and combat espionage,” and announced a series of measures to “strengthen national defense” against “foreign intelligence activities.”
Investigations launched in recent months into foreign consultancies in China have caused concern in the sector and in potential foreign investors.
