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Individual sentenced to life in prison for spying for foreign agencies: state secrets authority

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Oct 22, 2025 09:51 AM

The public WeChat account affiliated with the National Administration of State Secrets Protection revealed on Wednesday several recent cases of foreign espionage infiltration, including one involving an employee surnamed Hao from a research institute directly under a central government department. Hao was reportedly recruited by foreign intelligence agents and provided classified information to them. He was convicted of espionage and sentenced to life imprisonment, with lifelong deprivation of political rights.

The WeChat account named "Baomi Guan" said in an article that Hao was studying abroad for his PhD when he attended an international academic conference and visited a foreign embassy to apply for a visa. There, he was approached by an embassy official named "T," who, under the pretext of "visa review," offered help, extended friendship, and gradually won Hao's trust through meals, gifts, and part-time job offers. Before T's term ended, he introduced Hao to a colleague, "L," who maintained close contact with him. As Hao's studies were nearing completion, L disclosed his identity as an intelligence officer and formally recruited Hao.

After returning to China, Hao followed his handler's instructions to seek employment at a key classified research institute under a central government unit. During his time there, he held multiple secret meetings with foreign agents, passed on classified intelligence, and received espionage payments, according to the article.

Through investigation, Hao was found providing five items of confidential-level and two items of secret-level state secrets to a foreign intelligence agency. His actions constitute a grave threat to national security and an egregious violation of China's counter-espionage laws. He was convicted of espionage and sentenced to life imprisonment, with lifelong deprivation of political rights.