Tackles increase in espionage in Northeast China

　　Security authorities of Northeast China's Jilin Province launched a counter-espionage hot line on Sunday, through which citizens and organizations can report suspected espionage, the Jilin-based New Cultural Newspaper reported Sunday.

　　The hot line targets foreign organizations and individuals who conduct espionage activities or who instigate and sponsor others in conducting them. They will be punished, as will domestic organizations and individuals who spy on the country on behalf of foreign organizations and individuals.

　　"Jilin Province is an important place for safeguarding China's national security because the northeastern region is an industrial and military base. The hot line will help the local government combat spying," Song Zhongping, a Beijing-based military expert, told the Global Times.

　　Four Japanese spies were caught in China in September and October. This includes a male spy caught in Jilin Province carrying out espionage activities near a military facility, the Shanghai-based Oriental Morning Post reported on Friday.

　　According to Song, espionage activities aiming at China have increased significantly during the past few years. Spying has permeated not only military affairs, but also economic and political targets, he said.

　　"China is entering a crucial period. Many foreign countries are eager to get inside information about national strategies, with others sabotaging the country's development," Song added.

　　With the development of the Internet, many people who seek job opportunities or friends online are likely to be manipulated by foreign agents or incited to defect, Hefei-based news site hf365.com reported on Saturday.

　　Military enthusiasts, scientific research institutes for national defense, officials and even teachers and students in colleges have been targeted by espionage groups, Song said. He added that as an increasing number of espionage activities take place in China, the government is deploying all its resources to fight against spying, including its citizens, according to the report.

　　"The counter-espionage hot line is a good way for the local government to enforce the law and deal with spying," Song added.

　　"Other provinces may launch their own counter-espionage hot lines soon, following Jilin's lead," he said.

　　Jilin is not the first province that has a hot line to fight against spying. China's first 24-hour anti-spying hot line was launched in South China's Hainan Province in July, which has helped bust over 10 alleged espionage activities, the Legal Daily reported.

　　Ni Lexiong, a Shanghai-based military expert, told the Global Times that individuals and organizations have difficulty getting access to sensitive information, so the tips they report to authorities might not be of much use.

　　"Training more professionals to crack down espionage activities may be more effective," he said.