Recently, the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) Ministry of State Security claimed in a publication that a spy was caught breaking into a courier station late at night to steal data, sparking ridicule on overseas social media. It turns out that the CCP’s Ministry of State Security, which used to operate in the shadows, has been increasingly in the spotlight in recent years, frequently releasing “spy” cases that have raised suspicions of fabrication.
On September 6th, the CCP’s Ministry of State Security released an article on its WeChat public account titled “Breaking into a Courier Station at Night, For What Reason…” The article began by describing a scene where a shadow sneaked over the wall into a deserted courier network site in the early hours, avoiding surveillance cameras to sneak into the office and insert a USB drive preloaded with a Trojan virus into the office computer.
The article claimed that the on-duty staff at the network site detected and stopped the intrusion in time, immediately called to report the incident, and authorities then “successfully thwarted” an attempted data theft case involving domestic courier company data.
The article also claimed that the data of Chinese courier logistics has become a coveted “gold mine” for foreign espionage intelligence agencies. It urged courier companies and employees to sign confidentiality agreements for user personal information for courier services, and for users to promptly blot out and destroy personal information on waybills after receiving and opening couriers, etc.
The CCP’s Ministry of State Security’s release of this case has sparked ridicule on an overseas platform.
Independent commentator Cai Shenkun said, “In recent years, there have been more and more spy cases disclosed, but the operational level of spies has become increasingly worrying. Previously, the image of a spy was associated with codebooks, miniature cameras, and secret handovers; now it’s about sneaking into a courier station at night to steal data, only to be caught red-handed by on-duty staff. If this trend continues, the greatest technological advantage of the national security department will not be artificial intelligence, but having staff work night shifts.”
Pro-democracy leader Wu Renhua said, “Is courier station data also classified as national secrets?”
Investigative reporter Wu Zhucheng remarked, “It feels like treating a thief as a spy to make up the numbers. With an increasing number of spy cases, the operational level is becoming more like a low-budget farce. In the past, spies focused on codebooks, miniature cameras, secret handovers, but now we have people sneaking into courier stations at midnight to steal data and getting caught by on-duty staff immediately. There’s been no improvement in the technical complexity, but the comedic effect is through the roof. Following this trend, the core competitiveness of ‘national security’ will be based on who can stay up for night shifts.”
Independent researcher Lu Su said, “The spy cases released by the Ministry of State Security in recent years have become nothing but jokes to the public. The logic and stories are on par with elementary school children’s; perhaps they are intended for a certain elementary school student.”
Some netizens commented, “Is this spy definitely not just an unemployed neighbor from the next block?”; “In the declining period of a dynasty, there will always be all sorts of unimaginable operations.”; “The entire country has become a joke.”; “With this level of technological complexity, everyone will be a spy in the future.”
One person wrote, “Under the cover of darkness, inside the China Courier Enterprise Information Center building, a thrilling scene is unfolding… Stay tuned for the blockbuster of the year – The Courier Information Life and Death Battle.”
Since the implementation of the amended “Counter-Espionage Law” by the CCP in July 2023, the Ministry of State Security has called for “all citizens to be vigilant against spies,” and has continuously claimed to have cracked down on spy cases involving the West, with the released spy cases covering a wider range, yet frequently facing accusations of fabrication and sensationalism.
On January 23, 2024, the CCP’s Ministry of State Security disclosed details of a spy case involving a state-owned enterprise employee who was seduced and turned into a spy while conducting research abroad. However, specific information such as the time, place, and names of those involved was not disclosed, leading to public skepticism. At the time, Jiangsu online writer Fang Dongxia told Radio Free Asia that this was a self-created “vulgar yellow story” by the Ministry of State Security.
On September 4, 2025, the CCP’s Ministry of State Security announced that they had recently cracked several “spy cases,” including an incident where an 18-year-old Chinese student studying in Taiwan was recruited through a “honey trap” scheme, resulting in the leakage of nearly a hundred pieces of CCP defense secrets. Japanese senior media person Yabuta Akio raised several doubts on social media, suggesting that this case was likely a false case cooked up by the CCP to promote awareness of counter-espionage.
In December 2025, the CCP’s Ministry of State Security had previously claimed that the online commentary in mainland China was full of “spies everywhere.” On April 28, 2026, the Ministry of State Security classified the “lying flat” anchor phenomenon that had become popular on platforms such as Douyin and Kwai as a group supported by foreign forces. On June 21, 2026, the Ministry of State Security published an article alleging that foreign espionage intelligence agencies were using pop-up ads such as “watching ads for benefits” and “unlocking free durations” to conduct information collection and ideological infiltration activities.
Chinese scholar Yan Ligeng told Radio Free Asia that due to the severe economic and social conditions in China, the Ministry of State Security is using a heightened tone to intimidate the entire society, especially individuals with differing opinions and voices.
Australian-based scholar Yuan Hongbing told Epoch Times that on the surface, the CCP’s Ministry of State Security talks about combatting external enemies every day, but its most critical function is to strengthen internal surveillance and has already penetrated various levels within China. The expansion of power by the Ministry of State Security is due to various factions within the Xi family’s inner circle racing to expand their power. “Whether it’s the Ministry of State Security or the Ministry of Public Security, they are both trying to expand their power.”