Chinese Ministry of State Security Warns Public to Guard Against Espionage During the Lunar New Year, Stirring Controversy

During the Chinese lunar new year period, people gather to celebrate and visit relatives and friends, which is a tradition. However, the Chinese Ministry of State Security recently issued a warning claiming that “some traps that threaten national security have quietly infiltrated around us,” implying that people should be cautious of others “snooping and stealing national secrets” during gatherings. This unprecedented action by the authorities has sparked controversy.

On January 28th (New Year’s Eve), the Chinese Ministry of State Security released a notice on its WeChat public account, advising people not to relax their security and confidentiality awareness during festive activities like visiting relatives, friends, or class reunions. They cautioned against disclosing secrets to unauthorized individuals, including work secrets, internal sensitive information, and national secrets, warning people to beware of those with ulterior motives trying to gather national secrets under the guise of “exchanging updates” and “deepening relationships.”

The notice also mentioned that while traveling or sightseeing, one should not let down their guard against espionage and spy prevention strategies, especially when traveling abroad, to prevent infiltration or collusion by foreign intelligence agencies.

Former criminal investigation major and now a Chinese-American lawyer in New York, Gao Guangjun, told Radio Free Asia that in China, similar notices are often issued during holidays, but previously they were typically released by public security departments focusing on public and social security. Now, it is increasingly common for national security departments to issue such notices, indicating that the Chinese authorities are feeling insecure and becoming more sensitive.

Guangjun mentioned that the definitions of secrets in these notices are quite vague, and the security departments have broad enforcement powers, resulting in a lack of basic guarantees for citizens’ freedom of speech and personal safety.

According to the revised 2024 Chinese National Security Law, national secrets are classified into three levels: top-secret, confidential, and secret. Guangjun expressed concerns about the vague and ambiguous nature of some provisions in the Chinese government’s laws, where leaking state secrets could easily become a pocket crime.

Political analyst and Columbia University Ph.D. Wang Juntao commented that the Chinese government is becoming more absurd and domineering. He argued that by issuing such notifications during the Lunar New Year, authorities aim to control people’s speech and thoughts, restricting discussions that differ from the government’s views. This move signifies a return to the Mao Zedong era, reflecting abundant discontent and dissenting views within society.

On the tightly controlled official Weibo platform, comments under news related to the Ministry of State Security’s notice are overwhelmingly “acknowledged” or similar responses, indicating potential censorship or manipulation of public opinion.

A user on an overseas platform remarked, “Is this a disguised restriction on freedom of speech?” and another commented, “I would feel dirty if that country’s secrets were given to me,” and “These people seem to still live in the 1950s.”

Commentator Li Linyi expressed to Epoch Times that amid China’s struggling economy, immense societal pressures, and a tense political environment, the authorities’ unprecedented move to control speech during people’s New Year gatherings invades yet another aspect of people’s lives. This approach, initiated since Chen Yixin became the Minister of State Security, is likely to generate even more public discontent.

Chen Yixin, 65, previously served as the Deputy Secretary-General of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee when Xi Jinping was the Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee. In March 2018, Chen became the Secretary-General of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, where he called for integrating freelance commentators to allow massive creation of social media accounts by political and legal personnel, police, and propaganda staff. He emphasized enhancing the capabilities of security agencies in “online struggles” and opinion guidance.

Chen was appointed as the Minister of State Security on October 30, 2022. In the summer of 2023, the Chinese Ministry of State Security launched its WeChat public account, frequently publishing perspectives on security threats related to Chinese economic, diplomatic policies, and even culture. The amended “Counter-Espionage Law” in 2023 led the Ministry of State Security to initiate a wave of “spy-catching” people’s movements.

An insider within the Chinese Public Security, under the alias An Ming, previously disclosed to Epoch Times that Chen Yixin has ambitious goals. The National Security previously was a relaxed department, but since Chen’s tenure, he has been seeking power aggressively, causing turmoil among his subordinates and differing opinions within the Ministry of State Security.