Photo: WeChat account of Baomiguan

 A case revealed on Monday for the first time unveiled how a technical expert in space area sold internal and classified information to a previous acquainted spy to make up his losses in stock market, and ultimately faced the legal punishment including 11-year imprisonment. 

As a core technical member, the expert surnamed Chen worked successively at several aerospace research institutes. In 2012, he made contact with an agent of a foreign espionage organization and accepted the intelligence collection tasks assigned by the latter. After transmitting documents several times, Chen regretted, rejected the subsequent requests from the other party, and took the initiative to cut off all contact, according to an article released on WeChat account Baomiguan under Gold Wall Press run by the national state secrets administration.  

In 2018, Chen suffered losses of several hundred thousand yuan from stock trading and was eager to recoup his losses. At this point, the aforementioned agent reached out to him again, and the two resumed their contact. Between 2018 and 2021, Chen photographed a large number of internal and classified documents he accessed during his work and provided them to the agent, illegally gaining a total of 433,500 yuan ($61,426).

In the end, Chen was convicted of espionage. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison, four years’ deprivation of political rights, with the additional penalties of confiscation of personal property and all illegal gains.

Scientific researchers, especially those with access to classified information, must maintain constant vigilance in both work and daily life. They should identify hidden traps, keep a distance from contacts of unknown background, and promptly report any problems to their organizations. Meanwhile, they must adhere to bottom-line principles, handle life difficulties with prudence, and seek help through legitimate channels when in trouble. Above all, they need to eliminate the mentality of taking chances, strengthen their awareness of compliance with regulations, and internalize rules and systems into conscious habits in daily work, per the Baomiguan.

Global Times