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China Claims Foreign Intelligence Services Use Turtles and Fish to Spy on Its Coasts
๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด Romania /Conflict & Security

China Claims Foreign Intelligence Services Use Turtles and Fish to Spy on Its Coasts

From Adevฤƒrul · () Romanian

Translated from Romanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Context piece
  • China's Ministry of State Security accused foreign intelligence services of using marine animals equipped with sensors for espionage.
  • The ministry claims "spy turtles" and "spy fish" have been detected in Chinese waters, collecting sensitive marine data.
  • These animals allegedly transmit collected information, such as water temperature and salinity, abroad via satellite.

China's Ministry of State Security has leveled a startling accusation against foreign intelligence agencies, alleging they are employing marine life fitted with sensors to conduct espionage along the country's coastlines. The ministry claims that "spy turtles" and "spy fish" have been discovered in Chinese waters, tasked with covertly gathering sensitive environmental data.

In a social media post titled "Beneath the deep blue sea, underwater currents stir," the ministry detailed its claims. It stated that foreign agents are utilizing "new types of espionage equipment" to collect data deemed sensitive. The ministry asserted that these equipped animals were observed moving towards specific locations to gather information on marine conditions, including water temperature, salinity, and ocean currents.

Large marine animals equipped with sensors have been discovered in some Chinese waters.

โ€” Ministry of State Security of ChinaDescribing the alleged use of marine life for espionage.

According to the ministry's statement, the collected data was then transmitted overseas via satellite. The ministry also suggested that foreign entities might be using sensor-equipped buoys and devices attached to commercial vessels for real-time monitoring of port activities. However, the ministry did not specify which countries or intelligence services are allegedly involved in these operations.

The accusations come amid ongoing tensions and mutual accusations of espionage between China and Western nations. The Ministry of State Security urged for stricter controls on foreign equipment and encouraged fishermen to report any suspicious buoys or devices encountered at sea. This development follows a recent warning from the "Five Eyes" intelligence alliance about Chinese agents posing as online recruiters to obtain sensitive information.

The creatures were spotted swimming towards a precise area, collecting sensitive data about the marine environment, such as water temperature, salinity, and currents, which were then transmitted abroad via satellite.

โ€” Ministry of State Security of ChinaExplaining the alleged function of the equipped marine animals.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Adevฤƒrul in Romanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.