TIONGKOK warns students 'beautiful women, handsome guys' could lure them into spying

[k1976]

Report this ad
Learn more aboutRefinitiv

Reuters home

China warns students 'beautiful women, handsome guys' could lure them into spying​

By Reuters
September 4, 20246:12 PM GMT+8Updated a day ago

Students are seen at a job fair for graduates at a university in Shenyang, Liaoning province, China March 21, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab
BEIJING, Sept 4 (Reuters) - China's top spy agency has warned students with access to sensitive data to be wary of "handsome men and beautiful women" who could fake feelings to lure them into spying for foreign entities, compromising national security.
China's ministry of state security on Wednesday released on its public WeChat social media account detailed cautions to students whom it said could be manipulated in a number of ways to give up information.




It said state security departments have found that personnel of foreign espionage and intelligence organs have carried out targeted wooing and infiltration of young students.
"They take advantage of the characteristics of young students' strong curiosity and willingness to try new things," a statement said.

China has been cracking down on perceived threats to its national security, releasing several warnings this year to its citizens and revealing cases of spying that it has uncovered.

Workers for foreign intelligence agencies specifically target college students with access to classified and sensitive scientific research data, disguising themselves as university scholars, and employees of scientific research institutions and consulting companies, the agency said.
They lure young students "with high-paying part-time opportunities in the name of market research, academic exchanges," it added.

 

[k1976]

USA TanWahTiu collick tio arrested​

​

A Ferrari, a Honolulu hideaway, salted duck - top NY official allegedly spied for China​

Image source,Reuters
Image caption,Linda Sun and her husband Christopher HuArticle information

• Author,Sam Cabral
• Role,BBC News
• 4 September 2024

A top New York state government aide secretly helped the Chinese government access an official call about Covid-19 while enjoying a lavish lifestyle as an undercover agent for Beijing, according to a US indictment.

Over a period of roughly 14 years, Linda Sun rose through the ranks to become deputy chief of staff to the governor.

But according to federal prosecutors, the 41-year-old used her position to aid Chinese officials, including by blocking Taiwanese diplomats from contacting the state government and covertly sharing internal documents with Beijing.

In return, China allegedly showered Ms Sun and her husband, Christopher Hu, with millions of dollars in kickbacks that helped them buy a $4.1m (£3.1m) house in New York and perks including special home deliveries of salted duck.

 

[k1976]

It's all been taken care of'​

They also bought a $2.1m ocean-view condominium in Honolulu, Hawaii, and luxury vehicles including a 2024 Ferrari Roma sports car, according to the indictment.

The couple pleaded not guilty on Tuesday in a Brooklyn federal court to a range of charges, from failing to register as a foreign agent to visa fraud and money laundering.
US law requires that individuals acting for or in the interests of foreign countries or political parties register as foreign agents.

Ms Sun never did - and, according to prosecutors, the Chinese-born naturalised citizen "actively concealed that she took actions at the order, request, or direction" of Chinese government officials and representatives.

In 2020, as the Covid-19 pandemic spread through the state, Ms Sun allegedly found ways for Chinese consular officials to gain access to New York leaders.
So brazen were her efforts that, in one instance, she surreptitiously added a Chinese official to a private state government call about the public health response to the virus, according to prosecutors.

Former New York prosecutor Howard Master told the BBC the charges reflect a "disturbing" trend of senior public officials - including former New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez - corruptly receiving gifts from foreign governments.

"How she got away with it for so long will be a matter for ongoing investigation, but it appears that she took numerous steps to avoid getting caught, allegedly lying to the FBI, the New York State Office of the Inspector General, and others when questioned and taking other steps to conceal her role," he said.

The indictment against Ms Sun lists occasions in which she worked to prevent Taiwanese representatives from either communicating with or meeting high-ranking officials in the US government.

"It's all been taken care of satisfactorily," Ms Sun is said to have bragged in one 2016 message to a Chinese consular official after successfully diverting a top New York politician from an event hosted by Taiwan.
And when the island's president travelled to New York City in 2019, she was even pictured joining a pro-Beijing protest against the visit.

 

[mojito]

No need scare SG. All uglies here.