The Ministry of State Security (MSS) has warned that attractive partners could be used as a tactic to lure young people into spying.
China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS), the country’s primary intelligence and counter-espionage agency, has cautioned young people about the potential for “handsome boys and pretty girls” they encounter to be honeypots, used to entice them into espionage for foreign nations.
The warning, posted on Wednesday on the agency’s official WeChat account, is specifically directed at young students, especially those with access to highly sensitive or confidential information or classified research data. The ministry advised them to avoid being seduced by good looks, which could be a trap set by “overseas spy intelligence agencies.” It alleged that such entities often target young Chinese students, “disguising themselves as close friends and confidants” who attempt to “win over, lure, and coerce” them into a fabricated “love trap.”
The ministry also claimed that some foreign intelligence agencies “provide high-paying part-time jobs” for students, often using ambiguous language to gather information under the guise of market research or academic exchanges. In these cases, the agents are typically disguised as academics, researchers, or consultants, the ministry warned, who “exploit the curiosity and willingness of young people to try new things.”
The ministry refrained from naming specific foreign agencies that have targeted students in the aforementioned manner, but it is known that China exchanges accusations of espionage with the US and the UK.
The ministry’s latest warning follows a recent case in New York, where Linda Sun, Governor Kathy Hochul’s former deputy chief of staff, has been charged with acting as an undisclosed agent for the Chinese government. In June of this year, Beijing announced the arrest of two of its own citizens on suspicion of assisting British foreign intelligence agency MI6.
The agency’s account became active in August of last year, coinciding with the expansion of China’s counter-espionage law, which granted the country’s authorities broader powers to identify and apprehend spies. Since then, the ministry has published numerous warnings similar to the one issued on Wednesday, aiming to raise public awareness of counterintelligence measures among the Chinese population.