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| Photo: www.straitstimes.com |
WASHINGTON - The United States has expressed apprehension regarding China's recent call to encourage its citizens to participate in counter-espionage activities and has been closely observing the enforcement of Beijing's expanded anti-spying law.
China's Ministry of State
Security, on Tuesday, called for citizens to engage in counter-espionage
efforts, establishing channels for reporting suspicious activities and
providing rewards for such actions. The ministry proposed the creation of a system
that makes it "normal" for ordinary people to partake in
counter-espionage initiatives.
This move follows the
expansion of China's counter-espionage law, which came into effect in July and
includes a ban on the transfer of information deemed related to national
security. The new law has raised concerns in the United States, which has
warned that foreign companies operating in China may face repercussions for
their regular business activities.
State Department spokesperson
Matt Miller, speaking at a daily news briefing, expressed the United States'
reservations about the development, stating, "Encouraging citizens to spy
on each other is something that's of great concern." He further mentioned
that they are closely monitoring the implementation of China's new
counter-espionage law, which significantly broadens the scope of activities
considered espionage.
In recent years, China has
apprehended and detained numerous Chinese and foreign nationals on suspicion of
espionage, including an executive from Japanese drugmaker Astellas Pharma in
March. Additionally, Australian journalist Cheng Lei, accused of providing
state secrets to another country, has been in detention since September 2020.
China's assertion of being
under threat from spies comes amidst Western nations, particularly the United
States, accusing China of engaging in espionage and cyberattacks. Beijing has
consistently denied these allegations.
In conclusion, China's efforts
to encourage its citizens to participate in counter-espionage activities have
raised concerns in the United States and other Western countries. The
implementation and impact of Beijing's expanded anti-spying law continue to be
closely monitored by international observers.
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