Ex-engineer sentenced to death for compromising China’s national secrets

A former Chinese engineer has been sentenced to death for leaking state secrets to a foreign power, according to a statement from Beijing’s Ministry of State Security on March 19.

The individual, identified only by the surname Liu, was convicted of secretly copying, duplicating, and selling a substantial amount of classified state materials to a foreign espionage and intelligence agency, the ministry revealed on its official WeChat account, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Liu, an assistant engineer at a research institute, resigned after feeling that he had been treated unfairly, the ministry explained. However, before leaving, Liu secretly copied and retained a large quantity of classified materials, allegedly with plans to use them later for blackmail or to take revenge against his superiors.

Although the research institute where Liu worked and his full name were not disclosed, the ministry indicated that Liu’s personal financial troubles, stemming from failed investments, led him to focus on the classified materials in his possession. This prompted his “treasonous thoughts” of selling intelligence.

The foreign intelligence agency that received the materials was not named, but the ministry stated that it tricked Liu into handing over the information at an exceptionally low price. Liu, however, failed to recognize the gravity of his actions and continued to sell classified information abroad.

The ministry added that over six months, Liu covertly travelled through multiple countries, further compromising China’s national security.

Following an investigation, Liu was sentenced to death. The ministry did not specify when his execution would take place.

Beijing has increasingly warned about foreign powers attempting to undermine China’s rise under President Xi Jinping. The country’s Ministry of State Security regularly shares details of its espionage cases, cautioning citizens about the risks of espionage and the lures of foreign intelligence agencies.

In November 2024, a former high-ranking Chinese government employee was also sentenced to death for selling state secrets to foreign spy agencies. In September, the ministry cautioned students with access to sensitive information about being targeted by foreign agents, particularly through seductive tactics, while in June 2024, it accused Britain's MI6 intelligence agency of recruiting a couple working for China’s central government to spy for the UK.

China does not publicly release death penalty statistics, but rights groups like Amnesty International estimate that thousands of executions take place in the country each year.

By Tamilla Hasanova