Chinese anti-espionage officials have warned that severe punishments await individuals found to have been working in connection with foreign media or intelligence agencies in accordance with the country’s revised anti-espionage law. The move has had a chilling effect on Chinese citizens and North Korean workers dispatched to China alike.
Speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons, a source told Daily NK on Tuesday that “following orders from Liaoning Province’s state security office, officials in the cities of Dalian, Dandong, and elsewhere have begun distributing pamphlets on the anti-espionage law and educating residents on the law since late November. Officials have been placing particular emphasis on the need to forcefully crack down on information exchange with foreign countries.”
Officials at the Dalian branch of China’s Ministry of State Security told local residents that “anyone discovered to have been employed by or who has worked for foreign media or intelligence agencies, even for a short time, will be punished for compromising national security.”
At the same time, state security agents in Dandong emphasized that “given Dandong’s unique geographical characteristics as a city located on the border with North Korea, anyone who uses their Chinese citizenship to approach North Korean laborers or their workplaces will be seen as carrying out espionage activities and be heavily punished for undermining national security.”
China began implementing its revised anti-espionage law on July 1, but the fact that security officials are directly approaching and educating people on the new law suggests that the authorities are gearing up for domestic crackdowns.
The campaign has caused significant anxiety for Chinese people and the North Korean overseas trade workers they work together with, as well as for the North Korean laborers and managers working at Chinese enterprises. Many fear that their work brings them into conflict with the new anti-espionage law and are keeping a low profile in a bid to stay out of trouble.
The source told Daily NK that “on Nov. 28, Liaoning Province’s state security office instructed its affiliated organizations to monitor and identify any Chinese or South Korean individuals who approach any businesses or factories where North Korean laborers are working.”
In the areas surrounding businesses employing North Korean workers, Chinese anti-espionage officials urged local businesses and residents to be vigilant and alert the authorities of any suspected espionage activities.
“Even though [the Chinese authorities] have installed many CCTV cameras and say that they can already identify any unusual movements, they are emphasizing that Chinese citizens and North Korean workers in China must participate in this reporting system to prevent and impede espionage activities.”
Translated by Rose Adams. Edited by Robert Lauler.
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