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Espionage

Espionage
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Espionage. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Yuance Chen (second from left) was photographed on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln in January 2025, the criminal complaint says. Photo: US District Court for the Northern District of California
US-China relations

2 Chinese arrested in US for espionage for allegedly spying on naval base

Yuance Chen and Liren Lai are accused of photographing a naval base and seeking to recruit members of the US Navy as intelligence assets.

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Science

Family of China-born neuroscientist Jane Wu files death-related civil complaint

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Crime

US announces arrest, charges in North Korean tech worker deception plot

The Philippines

From mayor to ‘usurper’: Philippine court rules Alice Guo is a Chinese citizen

The former Bamban mayor is now in detention, facing Pogos-linked charges of human trafficking, money laundering and corruption.

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Former Bamban mayor Alice Guo attending a hearing at the Philippine Senate on September 9, last year. Photo: EPA-EFE
Taiwan

Why Israel’s spy tactics against Iran have sparked fears in Taiwan

Analysts warn that Beijing could adopt similar methods to infiltrate political and defence systems on the island, where espionage cases have surged.

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South Korea

2 Chinese men arrested in South Korea for using drone to film naval base

A series of similar recent incidents involving Chinese nationals has sparked fears of South Korea’s national security being compromised.

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Russia

Russia jails photographer for 16 years for handing material to US journalist

The harsh sentence comes as Russia has radically expanded its definition of state secrets since the 2022 Ukraine invasion.

Grigory Skvortsov during the verdict announcement. Photo: Perm Regional Court via AFP
Israel-Iran conflict

China warned to watch for threats as Israeli spies in Iran open ‘Pandora’s box’

Having spies disable enemy radars and missile systems is ‘tactic belonging to a new form of warfare’ and a ‘wake-up call’, observer warns.

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Israel-Iran conflict

CIA says US bombing set Iran’s nuclear programme back for ‘years’

The US spy agency cited new intelligence, in a statement supporting Trump’s claim that the facilities had been completely destroyed.

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US-China relations

‘Peddling fear’: China’s top security agency mocks CIA Chinese informant drive

US spy agency’s ‘clumsy’ effort to recruit Chinese informants is budget-driven stunt in face of Trump cuts, Ministry of State Security says.

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In an online article posted on Wednesday, China’s Ministry of State Security claimed the CIA has doubled down on hyping the “China threat” with recruitment videos that were “riddled with clumsy rhetoric and slanderous claims”. Photo: Reuters
Britain

UK calls China’s power ‘an inescapable fact’, says freezing ties not an option

Chinese attempts to spy on and destabilise Britain have grown, but Beijing remains a vital economic partner, a government audit concludes.

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UK-China relations have chilled since the short-lived “golden era” announced by then-Prime Minister David Cameron in 2015. 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

Majid Mosayebi, accused of seeking to provide ‘sensitive information’ to Mossad spy service, was hanged on Sunday, Iran’s judiciary said.

China-Russia relations

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

A leaked Russian memo reportedly calling China a potential threat continues the long and tangled arc of Sino-Russian history.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Brics summit in Kazan, Russia, on October 24. Photo: AP
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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