New recruits make phone calls at a military training base in Xining, Qinghai Province, China, on Jan. 13, 2007. (Photo : Getty Images)
An unnamed military base in China has forbidden access to vehicles with event data recorders as an anti-espionage precaution, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) revealed in a report published on Monday.
Event data recorders can record sensitive information including military activities and the lay of the land in and around military areas, which could lead to leaks of important intelligence, the report said.
Chinese media outlets have recently reported on a string of espionage cases involving both military personnel and ordinary citizens.
"China is entering a crucial period. Many foreign countries are eager to get inside information about its national strategies, as others sabotage the country's development," Song Zhongping, a military expert based in Beijing, told the Global Times.
According to Li Wei, an expert at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, espionage activities are increasing in recent years due to China's growing global influence.
Aside from military servicemen and government employees, ordinary Chinese citizens are also being targeted by overseas espionage organizations to collect inside information, Li added.
In May earlier this year, security officials in Jiangsu Province have made arrests in three espionage cases involving three Chinese citizens allegedly recruited by foreign spies.
"Some Chinese citizens were lured by overseas espionage agencies with generous rewards, while others may not even realize that they are leaking sensitive information when they are paid to do some so-called scientific research or projects," Li said, noting that ordinary Chinese citizens who live quite close to military facilities can easily collect information without drawing much attention from authorities.
"Espionage can affect every citizen, so the government should enhance the security and secrecy consciousness of ordinary people," Song said.
The local governments of Hainan and Jilin Provinces have already launched anti-espionage hotlines, through which people can report potential cases of espionage.
Experts also warn that advanced technologies have led to the increased spying activities in recent years.
The Internet and technologies such as GPS and data recorders have promoted espionage activities in China, causing important information to leak, Li said
Earlier in November, the Jiangxi-based newspaper Nanchang Daily reported a government employee accidentally logging into a website infected with a virus planted by foreign spy agencies, causing the virus to spread in government networks.
"Overseas espionage agencies often use viruses to collect information. A virus may be spread through websites or portable storage devices and cause the leaks of inside information," Li said.
