China has warned its citizens against being seduced by attractive foreigners recruiting spies.
International news agencies reported that Beijing’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) had issued a statement asking citizens to build “1.4 billion lines of defence” against manipulation by foreign agencies.
It said foreign powers were using beautiful women and handsome men as “romance traps” to help elicit sensitive information.
The communication, on social media platform WeChat, was particularly aimed at the thousands of Chinese university students studying abroad.
It said foreign agents attempted to manipulate students into spying on China, particularly if they had access to sensitive research data.
“In the face of all kinds of solicitation and counter-intelligence activities by foreign espionage agencies, it is necessary to maintain a line of defence and avoid falling into the traps set by (them)”, the ministry reportedly wrote.
“They may even disguise themselves as ‘handsome men’ or ‘beautiful women’ … and drag young students into a ‘romance trap’.”
The warning came as the United States and China exchanged allegations of spying in an environment in which relations remained strained.
