China’s former state employees warned not to leak classified information

China’s top intelligence agency has warned all former state employees with access to sensitive information to be aware of the risks of leaking state secrets.
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In a social media post on Monday, the Ministry of State Security said managing these workers after they retired or left their jobs was “not a private affair but a vital component of national security”.

It called for vigilance against such risks to ensure information security.

“Some individuals, after leaving their positions, disregard national security and interests, misinterpret the declassification period as a restriction of freedom or a career shackle, and even go into hiding or evade supervision,” the ministry said.

It cited a case involving a person, identified only by his surname Feng, who was sentenced to six years in prison for leaking state secrets after retiring from his job at a state-owned enterprise.

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The ministry said Feng had been lured by a foreign espionage agency that offered him a substantial “consulting fee”. It said Feng had maintained close ties with his former colleagues at the company and was able to gain access to core classified information in a critical industry sector.

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