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China Reveals Espionage Cases Involving Foreign Recruitment and Infiltration

Russian outlet Sputnik reported that China’s Ministry of State Security has warned of increasingly sophisticated methods used by foreign intelligence agencies – including money, seduction, emotional manipulation, and intimidation – to infiltrate targets and steal sensitive information.

One case involved “Xiao Zhe,” an 18-year-old Chinese exchange student in Taiwan. He was drawn into a romantic relationship with a woman posing as a senior student, who later coerced him into passing on sensitive research after he began working in a classified defense laboratory. Over time, he provided nearly 100 pieces of defense-related intelligence in exchange for payments before being exposed.

Another case centered on Zhang, a former Chinese ministry official cultivated by a foreign diplomat while stationed overseas. Zhang eventually spied for that country, fathered two children with a female official there, and secretly hoarded more than 5,000 classified documents, including dozens marked top secret. In 2019, he was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for espionage and illegally obtaining state secrets.

The ministry also cited examples from Guangdong, where two nationals, Li and Huang, were recruited online with offers of high pay. Li was tasked with reconnaissance near military facilities, while Huang used his job as a wedding photographer near a naval port to take almost 400 photos of warships. Both were arrested and sentenced, with Huang receiving 14 years in prison and the confiscation of his assets.

Source: Sputnik, September 4, 2025
https://sputniknews.cn/20250904/1067271620.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Government/Politics

Sputnik: China Plans Kinetic Impact Test to Defend Against Asteroids

At the 3rd Tiandu International Conference on Deep Space Exploration, Wu Weiren, chief designer of China’s lunar program, announced that China is preparing a kinetic impact mission to test asteroid defense strategies. The objective is to determine whether striking an asteroid with a spacecraft can alter its orbit and provide a viable method of planetary defense.

The mission will follow a “fly-along + impact + fly-along” model, launching both an observer spacecraft and an impactor. The observer will arrive first to conduct detailed surveys of the target asteroid’s size, shape, and orbit. The impactor will then collide with the asteroid at high speed. The entire process will be monitored by ground- and space-based instruments, using high-speed imaging and other techniques to measure orbital shifts, structural changes, and the behavior of ejected material.

Source: Sputnik, September 6, 2025
https://sputniknews.cn/20250906/1067334451.html

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

China Sanctions Japanese Lawmaker Ishii Taira; Japan Protests

Ishii Taira (Chinese name Shi Ping, 石平), born in Sichuan in 1962, joined China’s democracy movement in the early 1980s and graduated from Peking University in 1984. After moving to Japan in 1988, he broke with the Chinese Communist Party following the Tiananmen protests. He became a Japanese citizen in 2007, later served as a visiting professor at Takushoku University, and was elected to Japan’s House of Councilors this year. A vocal critic of Beijing, he has frequently spoken on Taiwan, the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong.

On September 8, 2025, China’s Foreign Ministry announced sanctions against Ishii, accusing him of spreading “fallacies,” and visiting the Yasukuni Shrine. The measures include freezing any assets he holds in China, banning Chinese organizations and individuals from engaging with him, and barring him and his immediate family from entering China, Hong Kong, or Macau.

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi condemned the sanctions as an attempt to intimidate dissenting voices and called on Beijing to withdraw them. Ishii dismissed the move, noting he has no assets in China and no intention of visiting, and described the sanctions as proof that his political activities were “an honor.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian defended the countermeasures, calling Ishii a “thorough anti-China element” who aligned with hostile forces after naturalizing in Japan. He said the actions were legal, necessary to safeguard China’s interests, and consistent with international practice, while criticizing Tokyo for failing to restrain its lawmakers and instead “shifting blame” onto China.

Sources:
1. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, September 8, 2025
https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/web/wjbxw_new/202509/t20250908_11704050.shtml
2. Epoch Times, September 9, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/9/9/n14590627.htm
3. Xinhua, September 10, 2025
http://www.news.cn/world/20250910/58e53b9debb347fd94c1772c2f08b2d0/c.html

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China’s Renewable Energy “Hot Potato”: SOEs and Private Firms Offload Unprofitable Solar and Wind Projects

In recent months, multiple Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and private companies have transferred ownership of dozens of their new energy subsidiaries. From January 2024 to April 2025, over 100 new energy asset sales were listed on Chinese property rights exchange platforms, with SOEs accounting for more than 70 percent. Sellers include major firms such as State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC), State Grid, China General Nuclear, Three Gorges Group, and China National Nuclear Corporation.

Once seen as “cash cows,” the solar and wind projects are now considered financial burdens. Many projects fail to meet expected returns, with some even losing money due to falling electricity prices, including negative pricing in provincial spot markets. The phase-out of government subsidies and transition to market-based pricing has worsened their profitability. Intermittent generation and limited grid responsiveness make these projects uncompetitive, turning them into “hot potatoes” in the energy sector.

Source: Epoch Times, August 19, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/8/18/n14576137.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Chinese Foreign Ministry: China-Latin America Cooperation Not Targeting Third Parties, U.S. Should Stop Interference

In response to recent U.S. claims that China is “penetrating and seizing resources” in the Western Hemisphere, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated on August 25 that China-Latin America cooperation is not aimed at any third party and should not be interfered with by outside forces. Regional countries have the right to independently choose their development paths and partners.

“At the core, the U.S. statements are factually incorrect and repetitive, once again exposing the deeply entrenched Cold War mentality and confrontational mindset of some U.S. officials,” Guo said at a routine press briefing. He stated that the U.S. has long intervened in and sought to control Latin America and the Caribbean, with its hegemonic and bullying behavior laid bare.

“Latin America and the Caribbean are not anyone’s ‘backyard.’ China-Latin America cooperation is not directed at any third party and should not be interfered with. Regional countries have the right to independently choose their development paths and partners. The U.S. should stop sowing discord and stirring up trouble, and instead do something concrete to support the development of Latin American and Caribbean nations,” Guo said.

Source: People’s Daily, August 25, 2025
https://world.people.com.cn/n1/2025/0825/c1002-40549669.html

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

Ecuador Secures $400M From Beijing Over Defective Dam

Ecuador’s Finance Minister Sariha Moya announced that Chinese state-owned PowerChina will pay the Ecuadorian government $400 million in compensation for serious defects and losses linked to the Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric project, built by Sinohydro. The $3 billion dam, launched in 2016 with Xi Jinping attending its inauguration, has been plagued by cracks, leaks, corruption scandals, and ecological damage, with experts warning its lifespan may be only 15 years instead of the promised 50.

Ecuador had originally sought $580 million in arbitration, while China countersued, but the settlement marks a partial resolution. The case highlights broader problems with China’s infrastructure projects abroad: opaque loans, poor construction, corruption, and political fallout.

Similar controversies have emerged elsewhere: Nepal’s Pokhara International Airport (built with Chinese loans) is deemed substandard; Serbia’s Novi Sad railway station collapse killed 16 and sparked mass protests; and other Chinese-financed projects across Latin America face scrutiny.

Commentators note that China’s BRI model – relying on money, corruption, and construction contracts to secure influence in targeted countries – is backfiring. Instead of winning allies, Beijing now faces reputational damage and a growing wave of compensation claims, with Ecuador setting a precedent that other countries may follow.

Source: Epoch Times, August 26, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/8/26/n14581281.htm

Briefings | | |   @CS Economy/Resources Geo-Strategic Trend

CCP Infiltration in Virginia: Expert Warns of Growing National Security Risks

China expert He Bin recently warned at a Virginia community event that the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) infiltration of Virginia is a serious national security concern. Given Virginia’s proximity to Washington, D.C., its role as home to the Pentagon, the CIA, the world’s largest naval base (Norfolk), and the only U.S. shipyard that builds nuclear carriers and submarines, CCP influence poses unique risks.

He outlined multiple examples of CCP penetration in Virginia, including:

  1. Media Control: Beijing secretly funded pro-CCP broadcasts on WCRW/WTSD radio (2011–2023).
  2. Corporate Takeover: China’s WH Group’s $4.7B acquisition of Smithfield Foods, giving China control over 25 percent of U.S. pork production and farmland.
  3. Confucius Institutes: They operated at George Mason University, William & Mary, and Old Dominion University. They have been criticized for undermining academic freedom.
  4. Education Infiltration: Thomas Jefferson High School, one of the best high schools in the U.S., received $3.6M from CCP-linked sources, raising IP transfer concerns.
  5. Chinese Student & Scholar Associations (CSSA): They strengthened surveillance and ideological influence over Chinese students.
  6. Virginia Tech: The university collaborated with Xi’an Electronic Science and Technology University, linked to China’s military.
  7. IP Theft: A Chinese researcher at UVA was charged with stealing trade secrets (case later dropped).
  8. Telecom Threats: China Telecom’s U.S. subsidiary, based in Herndon, was shut down by FCC over national security risks.
  9. NGOs: The Nature Conservancy in Arlington ran CCP-linked projects funded partly by U.S. government grants and Chinese firms.
  10. Port Security: Over 30 Chinese-made cranes at Hampton Roads port raised Pentagon concerns about surveillance.
  11. Espionage Cases: Chinese nationals and local residents in Virginia were prosecuted for spying or leaking defense secrets, including at Newport News Shipyard, the State Department, and even the Federal Reserve.

Source: Epoch Times, August 29, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/8/28/n14583195.htm

Briefings | | |   @CS US-China Relations

Texas Criminalizes Foreign Transnational Repression

On August 26, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed several bills aimed at protecting Texans from threats posed by foreign adversaries. The legislation included: House Bill 128, which prohibits any Texas government entity from establishing “sister city” relationships with foreign adversaries while encouraging cooperation with U.S. allies; Senate Bill 17, which bans individuals, organizations, and entities from certain countries from purchasing real estate in Texas; and Senate Bill 1349, which criminalizes acts of transnational repression and requires the establishment of new training programs for law enforcement.

In fact, as early as last November, Abbott had signed an executive order directing the Texas Department of Public Safety to take measures against cross-border coercion by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). At the time, he specifically cited the CCP’s “Fox Hunt” campaign of attempting to forcibly repatriate overseas dissidents back to China.

Analysts have noted that in recent years, China has increasingly engaged in “long-arm jurisdiction” against certain individuals abroad – using the People’s Liberation Army, public security officials, embassies, or agents – under the pretext of “safeguarding national interests,” thereby undermining other countries’ sovereignty.

Taiwanese media outlet Newtalk commented that by defining foreign “transnational repression” as a criminal offense, Texas has fired the first shot in American society against China. Sources:
1. NTDTV, August 28, 2025
https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2025/08/28/a104015125.html
2. Newtalk, August 27, 2025
https://newtalk.tw/news/view/2025-08-27/990303

Briefings | | |   @CS US-China Relations