China’s Intelligence Agency Warns CIA Against Espionage
In a sharply worded statement, the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) has warned the CIA against any attempts to instigate betrayal or conduct intelligence operations within China, escalating tensions in the ongoing espionage battle between the two nations.
MSS Issues Strong Warning
The MSS declared on Wednesday it would firmly uphold the country’s strategic interests and classified information. The agency also cautioned the CIA, stating that any attempt to encourage dissent among the Chinese populace is destined to fail, along with any plan to infiltrate China for information gathering.
China’s intelligence agency has warned the CIA that attempts to incite betrayal among the Chinese people are “doomed to fail.” pic.twitter.com/lW7rF3L00t
— World News (@WorldNews) May 29, 2024
“Can we organise a group of scammers to carry out a telecom fraud against the CIA? We can trick the US and make a little money at the same time,”
— An anonymous Weibo user
Cybersecurity Ventures estimates that cybercrime will cost the world $10.5 trillion annually by 2025 (Cybersecurity Ventures).
Ongoing Accusations and Countermeasures
The intelligence agency’s strong words were a top trending topic on China’s Weibo platform. The online discussion saw users making fun of the purported job advertisements. The United States and China have routinely traded accusations of espionage, intensifying a long-standing rivalry.
In April, officials reported they had implicated three U.S. “secret agents” in cyberattacks carried out during the Asian Winter Games held in Harbin. Moreover, the MSS announced in March that they had sentenced a former engineer to death for leaking state secrets to a foreign power.
This latest exchange shows no signs of de-escalation and indicates a continued, heightened state of alert regarding intelligence operations.
