Concerns are growing in the People’s Republic of China over the intensification of foreign espionage aimed at stealing genetic data and seed resources in the strategically important grain production sector. The Ministry of State Security of the PRC has openly stated that such activities pose a serious threat to national food security and has called on citizens to be vigilant, urging them to report any suspicious activities through official communication channels.
According to a statement from the Ministry of State Security published on its official WeChat account, foreign intelligence agencies are stepping up efforts to “illegally obtain” genetic data on soybeans, corn, and rice, which is classified as a direct threat to China’s national food security.
Even Rogers Pay, head of the Beijing-based company Trivium China, emphasized that Beijing has traditionally viewed food security as a matter of national security, similar to how energy security is assessed in Washington. According to the expert, the Ministry of State Security’s statements aim to increase public suspicion and skepticism towards foreign interest in agriculture and food.
The Ministry provided a specific example: a Chinese entrepreneur, a certain Zhu, is accused of selling parent seeds – first-generation seeds used in hybridization, which are banned from export – to a foreign organization under the guise of joint cooperation in the seed industry. It is alleged that Zhu concealed the seeds in containers declared for other export operations. According to the Chinese authorities, such incidents indicate systematic attempts to undermine the country’s food security.