The Chinese Communist Party’s State Secrecy Bureau disclosed today (August 4) that a military enthusiast in China has been arrested on suspicion of releasing sensitive information related to the CCP’s politics and military. Analysts believe that the CCP is becoming increasingly concerned about the security of its regime, as patriotic individuals who flaunt the military might of the CCP are now possibly being treated by the authorities as leakers rather than patriots.
The CCP’s State Secrecy Bureau’s WeChat public account “Secrecy Observation” on August 4 mentioned a case of pretending to be someone else to obtain intelligence.
It is said that a military enthusiast surnamed Lu caught the attention of foreign spy intelligence agencies while chatting in a military enthusiast chat room. Subsequently, a person surnamed Jin who claimed to be a journalist initiated contact with Lu and discussed topics such as China’s domestically produced aircraft carriers.
The article stated that Lu, the military enthusiast, organized and published the collected information, and even gathered some internal confidential materials as evidence in exchange for substantial rewards. Lu was later arrested by the CCP’s national authorities on charges of willfully leaking state secrets.
However, the article did not mention the date of the incident. There are doubts in the public about the authenticity of the case.
In recent years, the CCP has tightened its grip on matters of regime security, with Chinese military enthusiasts already under scrutiny.
In March 2024, the CCP’s Ministry of State Security twice published articles within less than three months, stating that military enthusiasts are a “high-risk group” involved in military espionage. Among them, on March 7, the Ministry of State Security of the CCP stated through its WeChat public account that these military enthusiasts are keen on collecting and organizing sensitive military information, exchanging it within the community, or publishing it on self-media and social media accounts, or posting it on various military forum websites, which “easily leads to the widespread dissemination of military secrets.”
The article also summarized the risks of leakage by military enthusiasts, including the so-called “guide type,” “knife-passing type,” and “collaborator type.”
Over the years, mainland military enthusiasts have spontaneously formed groups, set up forum websites, or become self-media figures. Many of them are “Little Pinks,” who openly boast about weapons and military information, and boast about the combat capabilities of the CCP’s military. There are many photos and analysis videos on Chinese social media related to the testing and equipment of the Fujian-class vessels, including photos of what appears to be the J-35 on the Liaoning vessel.
Mark, the host of the military channel “Mark’s Time and Space,” told Epoch Times that due to the CCP’s growing concerns about regime security, “Little Pinks” have always flaunted the CCP’s military strength as a so-called manifestation of “patriotism,” but now they may be treated by the CCP authorities as involved in espionage and leaking secrets. Hobbies or self-media activities that people used to pursue could easily turn into traps, and they are likely to be forced to revolt under pressure.
The disclosure of this latest military enthusiast leakage incident was not made by the CCP’s Ministry of State Security but by the CCP’s State Secrecy Bureau.
Since last October, the CCP’s State Secrecy Bureau has frequently published articles on its WeChat public account, extensively discussing the so-called “infiltration and intelligence theft by foreign forces.” This seems to conflict with the Ministry of State Security, which has been publishing similar content during the same period.
Current affairs commentator Li Lin told Epoch Times that the CCP’s State Secrecy Bureau and the Ministry of State Security were originally behind-the-scenes stability maintenance institutions hidden in the shadows, but now they are gradually stepping into the spotlight. Both departments are speaking out on matters of secrecy and national security, giving the impression of power struggles and exploitation.