Individual Gets Life Sentence for Spying

Photo from the public WeChat account affiliated with the National Administration of State Secrets Protection

The National Administration of State Secrets Protection revealed on Wednesday several cases of foreign espionage infiltration, including one involving an employee surnamed Hao from a research institute under a central government department. Hao was convicted of espionage after being recruited by foreign intelligence agents and sentenced to life imprisonment, with lifelong deprivation of political rights, according to the official WeChat account of the administration.

The administration's WeChat account named "Baomi Guan" said in an article that Hao was studying abroad for his PhD when he attended an international academic conference and visited a foreign embassy to apply for a visa. There, Hao was approached by an embassy official named "T," who, under the pretext of "visa review," offered assistance, extended friendship and gradually won Hao's trust through meals, gifts and part-time job offers. Prior to the end of T's term, T introduced Hao to a colleague named "L." L kept close contact with Hao. As Hao's studies were nearing completion, L disclosed his real identity as an intelligence officer and formally recruited Hao.

After returning to China, Hao followed his handler's instructions to seek employment at a key classified research institute under a central government unit. During his time there, Hao held multiple secret meetings with foreign agents, passed on classified intelligence and received espionage payments, according to the article.

Through investigation, it was determined that Hao had supplied a foreign intelligence agency with five confidential-level and two secret-level state secrets. His actions constitute a grave threat to national security and an egregious violation of China's counter-espionage laws. As result, Hao was convicted of espionage and sentenced to life imprisonment, with lifelong deprivation of political rights.

Source: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202510/1346226.shtml