Chinese Ministry of State Security

China's state security organs have uncovered across Chinese territorial waters a variety of devices with special techniques that foreign espionage and intelligence agencies employed to gather sensitive oceanic information and data to enhance surveillance and gather data on China's maritime areas in a series of intelligence gathering and technical espionage activities, posing a significant threat to China's national security, China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) said on Tuesday.

According to an article released by the MSS on WeChat, some of these devices act as "covert sentries," lying concealed on the seafloor for extended periods, while others serve as "spies" that drift along with ocean currents. There are still other devices which function as underwater "lighthouse" to navigate foreign submarines intruding the Chinese territorial waters while attempting to hide their tracks. 

According to the MSS, deep-sea security is crucial for state security, involving international cooperation to safeguard China's assets and interests across areas including politics, economy, technology, resources, environment, overseas interests, and military. Effective protection of deep-sea security is critical to state security and the country's development. 

The MSS said that it is an inevitable choice for China to realize Chinese modernization through speeding up the construction of a strong maritime power, whereas China at present is at a critical stage in its transition from a major maritime power to a strong maritime power, with its deep-sea security facing risks and challenges. 

Amid severe and complex covert threats from foreign intelligence agencies, Chinese state security organs will collaborate with other agencies to effectively prevent and resolve various security risks in the deep-sea area, firmly defending China's sovereignty, security, and development interests and contributing to building a strong maritime power, the MSS said. 

Global Times