Chinese Ministry of State Security

China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) on Sunday disclosed a construction project case in which the state security department eliminated security risks by revising planning for an urban village renovation project with significant information leakage concerns, effectively safeguarding a nearby sensitive facility. 

According to the MSS, a city planned to raise the height limit to 60 meters for buildings on a parcel of urban village land designated for redevelopment in order to construct “scenic view homes” and increase the land’s value. Since the site was located within a security control zone, the city sought opinions from the state security authorities. 

The state security authorities promptly conducted a comprehensive risk assessment of the project, taking into account factors such as the classified status of the sensitive unit involved, its location and distance from the construction site, the surrounding environment, and existing protective measures. 

In accordance with relevant working procedures, the authorities conducted a thorough review of the project’s functions, construction plans, and management . 

The assessment also evaluated the risk that the project could be exploited to carry out activities harmful to state security, as well as what security safeguards could be adopted.

Drone surveys found that apartments on the 16th floor and above in the planned buildings would overlook the sensitive facility, posing potential information leakage risks.

Based on these findings, the state security authorities proposed security requirements and instructed a stepped reduction in building heights for the planned residential project to prevent direct sightlines into the restricted area.

This adjustment not only safeguarded the core secrets of the city’s sensitive units, but also reduced the costs of later construction modifications, thanks to the state security authorities’ early involvement in the project review, effectively balancing local economic development and security considerations, according to the report.

Global Times