China says it has uncovered alleged CIA spy, Chinese national recruited in Italy

China has uncovered an alleged spy for the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), a Chinese national who worked for a military industrial group and was offered money and immigration to the US in exchange for sensitive military information, the state broadcaster reported on Friday.

Zeng, who was regarded as a classified person, was sent to Italy to pursue further education and while there became acquainted with a US embassy official, said the CCTV report.

Zeng was found to have signed an espionage agreement with the US and received training before returning to China to carry out espionage activities, it reported.

CCTV said “compulsory measures” had been taken against Zeng, but did not give any further details.
China has been stepping up its oversight on what it deems espionage activities.

Early this month, the state security ministry said the nation should encourage its citizens to join counter-espionage work, including creating channels for individuals to report suspicious activity as well as commending and rewarding them.

The ministry said a system that makes it “normal” for the masses to participate in counter-espionage must be established.

Last month, China introduced an anti-espionage law which bans the transfer of any information related to national security and interests without defining those terms.

The new law alarmed the United States while the European Union ambassador to China had said in May he was not sure the opening up of the Chinese economy was compatible with the counter-espionage law.

“We do have concerns over it, certainly encouraging citizens to spy on each other is something that’s of great concern,” US State Department spokesperson Matt Miller had said.

“We are closely monitoring the implementation of China’s new counter-espionage law as we have been, which as written greatly expands the scope of what activities are considered espionage,” he said.

In recent years, China has arrested and detained dozens of Chinese and foreign nationals on suspicion of espionage, including an executive at Japanese drugmaker Astellas Pharma in March. Australian journalist Cheng Lei, accused by China of providing state secrets to another country, has been detained since September 2020.

China’s declaration that it is under threat from spies comes as Western nations, most prominently the United States, accuse China of espionage and cyberattacks, a charge that Beijing has rejected.