China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) has issued an unusual warning: foreign intelligence agencies are allegedly using “spy turtles” and “spy fish” equipped with electronic devices to gather information in Chinese waters.
On a WeChat post on Friday, the ministry warned of what it called an “invisible secret war” taking place beneath China’s coastal waters.
The ministry also pointed to what it described as a new type of “wave glider” powered by wave motion and solar energy. According to the MSS, the device had been deployed by foreign actors to transmit military-related maritime environmental data as well as information on vessel movements.
Other Monitoring Devices
According to the MSS, intelligence-gathering efforts extend beyond marine animals. The ministry said foreign agencies were also using drifting buoys, wave-powered monitoring devices and other unmanned systems to collect oceanographic information from Chinese waters.
It said such data could be used to map the seabed, monitor underwater conditions and support military activities.
The warning forms part of a broader public awareness campaign by Chinese authorities, who have increasingly highlighted espionage threats in recent years. The MSS regularly uses its WeChat account to publicise alleged intelligence operations and encourage citizens to report suspicious activities.
China has expanded its counter-espionage efforts amid growing tensions with the United States and other Western countries. Beijing has repeatedly accused foreign governments of conducting intelligence activities targeting its military, technological and strategic interests.
Claims Draw Attention Online
The latest claim quickly drew attention on Chinese social media, where users reacted with a mix of concern and skepticism. While some viewed the warning as evidence of increasingly sophisticated surveillance methods, others questioned how marine animals could be effectively used in intelligence-gathering operations.
The use of animals in military and surveillance programmes is not unprecedented. Various countries have, at different times, experimented with marine mammals such as dolphins and sea lions for underwater detection and recovery missions.
However, the Chinese ministry’s latest allegations involving turtles and fish have not been independently verified.
The MSS said the discovery of such devices underscored the need for greater vigilance as foreign intelligence agencies adopt new technologies to gather information in strategically important maritime areas.
China has not released details on where the alleged discoveries were made or when the marine animals were found.
(With inputs from agencies)
