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China's Ministry of State Security discloses cases of foreign intelligence agencies illegally obtaining genetic data of key crops

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Nov 03, 2025 09:03 AM

China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) on Monday disclosed several cases showing that, in recent years, foreign intelligence agencies have intensified infiltration into China's agricultural sector, illegally obtaining genetic data of key crops such as soybeans, corn, and rice. The MSS warned that such activities pose a grave threat to China's food security.

Parent seeds - the first-generation seeds used in hybrid breeding - are classified as key agricultural resources in China and are strictly prohibited from being exported. The MSS revealed in an article on its WeChat account that a foreign intelligence agency has long been targeting China's grain data and germplasm resources, illegally seeking to acquire parent seeds within the country.

According to the MSS, the foreign agency lured a domestic individual surnamed Zhu and his company with high payments, attempting to establish a "partnership" to purchase parent seeds under the guise of "joint seed production." Motivated by profit, Zhu knowingly violated export controls by concealing parent seeds in containers declared for other goods to evade inspection. Zhu was sentenced to one year and six months in prison, and 17 other individuals involved in the case were given administrative penalties of varying degrees.

Also, the MSS noted that following a public tip-off, China's national security authorities uncovered that personnel from a foreign consulate had led a team of agricultural and biotechnology specialists on multiple visits to major grain-producing areas in a Chinese province. Under the pretext of "field surveys," the group was in fact unlawfully gathering data on crop yields and reserves.

According to the investigation, the team displayed strong counter-surveillance awareness and took elaborate precautions - frequently changing vehicles between regions, traveling along rural backroads, and making brief stops by farmland to evade monitoring.

The MSS said it swiftly intervened once the activities were detected and took legal action against the individuals involved.

In recent years, foreign intelligence agencies have ramped up infiltration into China's grain and seed sectors, stealing core research data and undermining the nation's competitiveness in rice breeding and its overall food security, said the ministry.

The MSS, together with relevant departments, has firmly carried out its mission to safeguard national interests - cracking down on espionage activities by foreign agencies and their proxies, severing the "black hands" reaching for China's germplasm resources, and effectively eliminating risks of data theft and leaks in the agricultural field. These efforts have helped ensure the steady implementation of China's national food security strategy and strengthened the country's agricultural defense line, according to the article.

The MSS also urged the public to remain vigilant and said that citizens who spot suspicious activities that may endanger China's food security can report clues.