Chinese government espionage scheme puts media in danger

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 12 April 2017

The new anti-espionage initiative by the Chinese government may jeopardize the safety of journalists. Citizens are encouraged to report any suspicious activities.

Summary

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has voiced concern over the latest government scheme introduced on April 10, which may endanger the media community.

On Monday, the Beijing-based National Security Bureau announced the anti-espionage scheme, ‘Report on Espionage’, in its latest attempt to influence and censor the free flow of information in China. The scheme aims to use citizens as the eyes and ears of the government, asking them to report any suspicious activity to the Bureau. By participating in the program, citizens would be eligible for monetary rewards, with successful ‘tip offs’ able to receive between 10,000 and 500,000 yuan (USD 1,500 – 73,000).

According to Mainland reports, the National Security Bureau alleges that some of the espionage activities a

KEY POINTS:

• The anti-espionage scheme was announced by China's National Security Bureau.
• Citizens can earn monetary rewards for reporting suspicious activities.
• Reporters Without Borders expresses grave concerns for journalistic safety.
• Scheme aims to control and influence information flow within China.
• Rewards for successful tip-offs range from 10,000 to 500,000 yuan.