An amended law took effect in China earlier this year—the Anti-Espionage Act. It has sent chills through Westerners living in China, from scholars to business leaders and journalists.
What’s unnerving a lot of people is that the update broadened the scope of what Beijing considers espionage, but it didn’t outline where the boundary is between espionage and normal information collecting for business.
The law greatly expands Beijing’s powers.
Allowing authorities to search suspects’ bags, and digital devices, raid property, or even block them from leaving the country.
Many see China’s new anti-espionage law as a handy tool for when the regime decides to clamp down on certain groups.
Normal business activities and intelligence gathering by journalists could now be seen as criminal acts.
On top of that, China’s state security ministry is mobilizing the entire nation to join the country’s so-called “counter-espionage” network.
As part of it, citizens are tasked with reporting suspicious activities in exchange for rewards.
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