Chinese Vendor Imprisoned and Scientist Executed Amid Allegations of Espionage and Data Theft in Railway Sector

Chinese seller imprisoned for distributing train information to outsiders, according to State Security Ministry. The ministry reports that a Chinese firm was lured by a profitable deal to collect what was later classified as 'intelligence information'.

Time: 05

China executed a scientist in 2016 for espionage, as highlighted in a documentary that unveiled 10 startling instances.

The report mentions that in late 2020, an undisclosed Chinese IT firm secured a business deal to gather electronic signal data across China’s extensive railway systems. This contract was from an international company, previously engaged in market research, which had entered the Chinese rail sector to offer technical support services.

The ministry stated that due to Covid restrictions in Beijing, the international firm was unable to dispatch its staff to China and consequently delegated tasks to local Chinese suppliers. The ministry also discovered that this foreign company served numerous clients, among them foreign intelligence services, defense and military sectors, and various government agencies.

The report indicated that the Chinese firm knew the international company could have hidden agendas, yet, lured by the promise of a profitable deal, it proceeded to purchase and set up equipment as per the specifications of the international client's contract. Additionally, it gathered data at designated locations and performed mobile tests and data collection across various cities and along high-speed railway routes as directed by the overseas client.

The department announced that the initiative amassed 500 gigabytes of data over a month, encompassing information from Internet of Things signals, mobile and railway communications, as well as secure networks.