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Espionage

Espionage
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Espionage. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky leaving 10 Downing Street in London on Monday. Photo: AFP
Ukraine war

Ukraine reveals details of alleged plot to assassinate Zelensky

Polish former soldier, recruited by Russian intelligence, was to kill Zelensky at an airport in Poland, according to Ukrainian intelligence.

Israel-Iran conflict

Iran executes man convicted of being spy for Israel

China-Russia relations

Opinion | In China-Russia relations, power speaks louder than friendship

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China’s Communist Party

China’s state security agency warns of phishing emails sent by foreign spies

In one case a shipbuilding expert at a well-known university received an email with a Trojan program embedded in it, ministry says.

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China’s Ministry of State Security has issued another warning on cybersecurity. Illustration: Reuters
Hong Kong courts

Opinion | Hong Kong an example in balancing national security and people’s rights

Five years on from introduction of security law, the city is showing how the two issues, rather than being in conflict, are interconnected and reinforce each other.

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Britain

UK appoints first woman to head MI6 spy service

Career intelligence officer Blaise Metreweli chosen as next MI6 chief, an appointment the UK prime minister called historic.

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US-China relations

Trump seems to reverse course on Chinese students in US, saying he supports them

State Department has announced policy to ‘aggressively revoke’ visas, but president’s remarks suggest a link to trade deal with Beijing.

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US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he supported Chinese nationals studying and staying in the US. Photo: Reuters
China-UK relations

UK vows due diligence on Chinese embassy in London amid security concerns

Trump has warned PM Starmer against letting China set up mega-embassy near UK’s key financial centres; plan revived following lobbying by Xi.

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Middle East

Iran says it obtained sensitive Israeli nuclear documents

The trove of files was so large that Tehran ordered a news blackout until they were transported safely into Iran, state media reported.

US-China relations

US Senate panel passes Taiwan, mainland China overseas military growth measures

Foreign Relations Committee also backs nomination of Michael DeSombre as assistant US secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs.

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The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed bills on Thursday that would counter Beijing’s overseas military expansion and bolster Taiwan’s role in global finance. Photo: AFP
Books and literature

The secret’s out, former CIA director William Burns is writing a memoir

Joe Biden’s Central Intelligence Agency chief is penning a memoir, Diplomat Spy, to be published by Random House, which calls it riveting.

The then CIA director William Burns speaks during a hearing in Washington in March 2024. Burns has a deal from publisher Random House for a book about his time as head of the agency. Photo: AP
US-China relations

Chinese spies at Stanford? US tightens visa policies over espionage fears

As State Department cracks down on Chinese student visas, analysts say the risks are overstated and often unsubstantiated.

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China's military weapons

China introduces rules in bid to protect its military-industrial assets

Facilities for research, production, testing and storage of important weapons and equipment deemed ‘protected areas’.

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China’s Communist Party

China’s former state employees warned not to leak classified information

Top intelligence agency says those with access to such information must maintain ‘constant vigilance in safeguarding national security’.

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The Ministry of State Security called on all former state employees with access to classified information to stay alert. Illustration: Reuters
Mainland China

China’s top spy agency warns of foreign agents hiding in plain sight

‘Don’t be fooled by sweet talk,’ ministry says in social media post highlighting deceptive identities used by foreign spies.

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A man looks at his phone near a heart-shaped display in southwest China’s Chongqing on Monday. The country’s top spy agency has warned citizens to be wary of overseas friends who were “overly eager” in pursuit of romance. Photo: AP
China’s Communist Party

China security tech expos seize opportunities to guard state secrets

In a flourishing industry, country’s top tech companies showcase latest products to compete for military, police contracts.

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US-China relations

FCC votes to bar some Chinese labs from testing US electronics

About 75 per cent of US devices such as phones, cameras and computers are tested in facilities located in China.

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South Korea

South Korean police apply for reporter’s arrest over ‘99 Chinese spies’ article

The report claims the Chinese were arrested at an election commission building on the same day as Yoon Suk-yeol’s martial law imposition.

South Korean police have filed for an arrest warrant against a reporter for claiming that “99 Chinese spies” were apprehended on the same day as former president Yoon Suk-yeol’s martial law declaration. Photo: AP
The Philippines

In Philippines, ‘fake Filipinos’ rekindle fears of Chinese spying. Here’s why

As arrests mount, Manila faces growing pressure to address systemic corruption that allows foreigners to obtain fake IDs.

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Germany

Germany arrests 3 Ukrainians over Russian sabotage plot

The accused allegedly aimed to send packages from Germany containing explosive devices to recipients in Ukraine.

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China-Japan relations

China confirms Japanese citizen has been jailed for spying in Shanghai

The foreign ministry did not reveal details of the case, but Japanese media reports say a man in his 50s has been given a 12-year sentence.

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There are mulitple sources of tensions between Tokyo and Beijing. Photo: Reuters
Donald Trump

Why Trump’s freebie Qatar jet is the stuff of nightmares in spyworld

Legal and ethical qualms aside, the luxury Boeing 747 would present a prime opportunity to bug, track and surveil the US president.

A Boeing 747 with the colour scheme of planes used by the Qatari royal family is seen at San Antonio International Airport in Texas on May 2. Photo: The San Antonio Express-News via AP
Germany

3 Germans go on trial over hi-tech spying for China

Prosecutors say they collected information on boat engines, sonar, propulsion systems for armoured vehicles and military-grade drones.

Britain

Bulgarians in Russian spy ring jailed in the UK

UK-based spy ring posed risk to national security, judge says in handing down sentences.

United States

Kiss and tail: China’s hit spy drama gets pro tips from top security agency

Guided by state security experts, the series shines glam spotlight on counter-espionage tactics amid national security education drive.

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Zhang Luyi with Gao Yuanyuan, stars of the The Secret Path. The spy drama debuted on Chinese state-run television last month as part of Beijing’s national security education drive. Photo: Handout
Ukraine war

Budapest expels 2 after Ukraine says it uncovered Hungarian spy network

Kyiv said the two suspects were former members of Ukraine’s military who were recruited by a handler in Hungarian military intelligence.

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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest in 2024. Hungary is part of the European Union and Nato, two blocs with which Kyiv is closely allied in Russia’s war in Ukraine, but relations between Kyiv and Budapest have often been fraught. Photo: Reuters
Donald Trump

US stepping up spying on Greenland, report says, prompting concern in Denmark

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen says he will call in the US ambassador: ‘We do not spy on friends’.

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China-Philippines relations

Calls for sanctions over alleged China-funded influence campaign in Philippines

Allegations, if true, could lead to expulsion of embassy personnel and legal action under a law targeting subversive acts during peacetime, analysts say.

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