Key facts
- China's Ministry of State Security claims foreign spies are using marine animals fitted with sensors.
- These 'spy turtles' and 'spy fish' allegedly collect sensitive marine data like water temperature and salinity.
- The collected data is reportedly used to create underwater maps that could compromise China's coastal defenses.
- The ministry also reported finding sensor-equipped buoys and solar-powered wave gliders used for espionage.
- Beijing encourages fishermen to report suspicious foreign equipment found at sea.
China's Ministry of State Security has claimed that foreign espionage agencies are using innovative methods, including 'spy turtles' and 'spy fish' fitted with sensors, to monitor the country's waters and collect sensitive marine data. In a social media post, the ministry warned of an 'invisible secret war' in the seas, stating that these animals collect real-time data on water temperature, salinity, and ocean currents, transmitting it overseas via satellite to create underwater maps that pose a 'serious threat to our national security.'