[Herald Economy=Jang Yoon-woo] China’s counterintelligence agency, the Ministry of State Security, said it arrested a foreign national after a taxi driver reported suspicious behavior and has urged the public to take an active “security surveillance” role.On April 17, state-run Xinhua reported the MSS had posted the case on social media. The ride-hailing driver, identified only as Cheon, said he noticed two foreign passengers repeatedly photographing the main gate of a military base and speaking in low voices as his vehicle passed.
After dropping them off, Cheon did not leave. He tailed the pair to monitor their movements and called the national security hotline to report what he saw. Expecting they might use his car again, he kept all his dispatch apps active and waited. As he anticipated, he received their booking; their destination was a nearby training area.
When the two reboarded, Cheon turned toward the base gate. The passengers began hurriedly deleting photos from their phones. Cheon accelerated toward the gate, then braked abruptly. He seized their phones to preserve evidence, and base sentries moved in and detained the two.
MSS investigators concluded the pair were operating under orders from a foreign intelligence service to map military facility locations and collect information on troop dispositions. Authorities said the suspects used a ride-hailing service to secure both access and concealment. Cheon was awarded a “Special Major Contribution Award for Citizen Reporting.”
Authorities publicized the case around April 15, which China marks as National Security Education Day. The MSS has been running a campaign—publishing educational materials and publicizing cases—to encourage public participation in national security. Some analysts say Beijing may be emphasizing espionage threats to shore up internal cohesion.
