Chinese state media reported yesterday that the mainland has sentenced a man to 10 years in jail for supplying military secrets to foreign spy organizations. It has been said that the man is part of an espionage ring, which involved 40 people in China. The China News Service, citing the Guangdong provincial department of state security, said the man whose surname is Li allegedly became the way for the Chinese-based spy ring to siphon secret information to intelligence agencies under the guidance of a foreign spy named "Feige," which in Chinese means "Flying Brother"
Aside from securing internal military publications, Li was also discovered to have been observing the mainland's military bases at specific times and took photos of equipment, which China News Service said his actions has seriously threatened national security. The convicted spy purportedly used an online bookstore and several websites for military enthusiasts to tap a dozen more people in the Guangdong area and 40 people overall in 20 different places all over the mainland. Quoting an unnamed official from the Guangdong state secrets office, China News Service had said that the country's national security is "like air and water" and is linked closely to every person in the spy ring.
People's Daily said in a separate report that Li was recruited in 2011 by an unknown person on the QQ messaging network by an individual known under the online name "Woman Net Friend." The individual, initially posing as a woman, reportedly tried to win in Li's good graces until a month later, "Woman Net Friend" revealed himself to be a man named "Feige." Because of lucrative financial offers, "Feige" later was able to turn Li into a Chinese spy, with the latter going to the National Library to procure materials like military books to pave the way for his new role as a spy.
Bloomberg said the sentencing of Li followed PresidentXi Jinping and the Central Military Commission he himself has held released a document that calls for improved measures to protect its military secrets. The document fell short of identifying which countries were involved in Li's case nor the nationality of "Feige" the foreign spy.
