In a stunning announcement from the Chinese Ministry of State Security on Friday, June 12, 2026, that is sending shock waves through the world’s intelligence agencies and marine science community alike, it was revealed that foreign espionage agencies are employing unorthodox means of surveillance using marine life equipped with sensors.
The ministry released a chilling statement on its official WeChat account titled
“Under the deep blue, undercurrents are surging,”
asserting that an “invisible secret war” is unfolding quietly in the seas surrounding China without public awareness.
This revelation marks one of the most bizarre and technologically sophisticated espionage claims Beijing has made in recent years, transforming sea turtles and fish from symbols of marine biodiversity into potential tools of international intelligence gathering.
The Ministry of State Security warned that international spy agencies are using “new types of espionage equipment” to steal sensitive marine data that could pose serious threats to China’s territorial, military, and economic security.
As per the claims by the ministry, the spy gadgets in question are no ordinary underwater drones or even seabed monitoring tools but living beings such as “relatively large marine animals” including both turtles and fish that have reportedly been spotted in certain Chinese sea zones carrying sensors on their bodies. Neither did the ministry disclose the name of the country or organization behind fitting these sensors onto these animals nor the precise locations in which these animals fitted with sensors had been identified.
Technical Details of the Alleged Marine Animal Espionage Network
How the Spy Animals Operate
China’s Ministry of State Security provided specific technical details about how these allegedly sensor-fitted marine animals allegedly function as espionage platforms. The ministry stated:
“Relatively large marine animals with sensors attached have been discovered in certain waters of China,”
in a section of its WeChat post explicitly titled “spy turtles, spy fish”. According to Beijing’s claims, these creatures were reportedly found
“swimming in a specific area, collecting sensitive marine environmental data, such as water temperature, salinity and ocean currents, and transmitted the data overseas via satellite in real time”.
The level of technological advancement involved in this purported venture is quite impressive. The sensors fitted onto the marine animals have to be lightweight enough not to hinder their movements but, at the same time, should be able to collect several different kinds of data from the environment and transmit the same via satellites. The fact that the Ministry states that the data is sent “in real time” implies that the sensors must contain active radio transmitters that can send information via satellite transmissions.
The Intelligence Value of Marine Environmental Data
The Ministry of State Security emphasized why this stolen maritime data poses such a serious threat to China’s national security.
Beijing believes the collected information would include ocean current dynamics, water temperature characteristics, temperature distribution, and seabed topography—data that could be used to
“identify weak points in China’s coastal defences, posing a serious threat to China’s national security”.
The ministry warned that the stolen maritime data would
“seriously endanger China’s territorial security, military security and economic security if stolen by overseas espionage and intelligence agencies”.
The marine environment data of this kind are absolutely crucial for the conduct of naval missions, especially submarine warfare missions. Understanding the temperature layers and ocean currents allows submarines to maneuver stealthily and without being detected. Seabed morphology gives an idea of underwater topographic features that can be used for concealing submarines from detection via acoustics. Information about ocean currents is helpful in determining how sound waves will behave in the water and hence predicting the possibilities of detection of submarines. The fear on the part of the ministry that foreign spies may take advantage of this data shows the paranoia about naval dominance.
Additional Espionage Devices Revealed in the Ministry’s Warning
The Spherical Ocean Monitoring Buoy
It was reported that the “new types of espionage equipment” did not only include spy devices that could be fitted into animals. The ministry stated that there was a discovery of a spherical ocean monitoring buoy in some Chinese sea area, which was alleged to have been dropped into the sea by a foreign marine research organization. This buoy had a set of meteorological sensors installed at its upper part while dragging an anchor chain from the bottom part of it to maintain its stationary status.
The capability to obtain an acoustic signature of any given submarine is possibly the most delicate matter in terms of its military significance among all the issues involved in this espionage case. An acoustic signature is basically a distinct set of sound signals which are unique to individual ships, enabling naval forces to distinguish friend from foe while providing crucial information on tracking the enemy’s movements. Should these foreign agencies be able to deploy acoustic monitoring buoys capable of recording such signatures, then China’s submarines would be in great jeopardy of being detected and tracked.
Wave Glider Technology and Shipborne Intelligence Equipment
In addition, the Ministry announced that there was a Wave Glider which was identified as a new kind of autonomous surveillance technology that had been employed by foreign players in China’s territorial water areas. The Wave Glider is propelled by wave action and uses solar power, and contains positioning and wireless communications systems, among others. With its advanced features, the wave glider is capable of getting satellite guidance in real time and conveying military information relating to marine environmental data and vessel operations.
Additionally, the MSS disclosed that a foreign company promoted “new shipborne electronic equipment” for commercial cargo ships under the guise of “maritime services.” The ministry claimed the equipment was actually a multimodal intelligence-gathering device capable of tracking port activities in real time and integrating meteorological, navigational, and other data to build a “maritime surveillance network”. This suggests the alleged espionage network includes both stationary devices (buoys), mobile autonomous platforms (wave gliders), and commercial-seeming equipment that masks intelligence collection capabilities.
China’s Official Stance on Marine Security and National Threats
The Ministry’s Str framing of the Threat
China’s Ministry of State Security framed the alleged espionage activities as part of a broader pattern of foreign intelligence operations targeting Chinese waters. The ministry stated emphatically:
“In recent years, foreign spy intelligence agencies have been extending their evil hands to this pure blue area, taking various measures to strengthen reconnaissance and monitoring of my country’s waters, and carrying out a series of intelligence collection and technology theft activities, threatening China’s national security”.
The use of phrases like “extending their evil hands” and “pure blue area” reflects the ministry’s rhetorical approach to framing foreign intelligence operations as violations of China’s sovereignty and natural marine environment.
The MSS emphasized that
“maritime security is an important component of national security, and safeguarding it requires joint efforts from all”.
The above statement places the threat in such a way that it demands that all civilians collectively be involved in the detection and reporting efforts. The Ministry informed the general public to be wary of any strange collaboration, to report any strange equipment, and at the same time called on all ship owners to be cautious of any strange companies that try to sell them suspicious equipment meant for their ships. The use of citizenry in such activities is common with China.
Geopolitical Context and Regional Tensions
China frequently alleges that espionage activities are occurring in nearby waters, including the South China Sea, East China Sea, and Taiwan Strait — regions among the most militarily sensitive and contested globally. Beijing’s warnings about foreign marine surveillance have become increasingly common as China expands its naval capabilities and faces growing tensions with Western powers over territorial disputes and military posturing in regional waters. The ministry’s June 2026 warning represents an escalation in the sophistication of alleged espionage methods, moving from traditional underwater drones to living marine animals.
Even though the June 2026 statement made by China did not specifically identify any country or institution, it is likely an allusion to China’s competitors from the West, especially the United States, whose naval forces have been performing extensive surveillance missions off the coast of China for some time now. The warning issued by the MSS is indicative of the increasing alarm among Chinese officials with regard to possible intelligence-gathering activities that might expose the weak points of China’s coastal defense network and its submarines. It is also worth noting that the warning is coming at a time when relations between China and Western countries have become increasingly strained due to the aforementioned issues.
Financial Incentives: China’s Massive Rewards for Fishermen Discovering Spy Devices
The Reward Program’s Scale and Impact
The Chinese government is known to have put in place a hefty bounty scheme aimed at encouraging civilians to report any suspected spying devices. It is reported that the government pays monetary bounties of between 50,000 yuan (£5,500 or $7,000) and 500,000 yuan (£55,000 or $72,000) to fishermen for identifying any spying gadgets found in its marine waters. The highest bounty of 500,000 yuan constitutes approximately 17 times the country’s average disposable income, hence a lucrative one that may completely change the fortune of a fisherman.
Size of the rewards is indicative of China’s realization of the fact that due to its extensive coastline and waters, professional surveillance cannot be carried out. Using civil fishermen – individuals who spend hours at sea everyday and encounter anything strange – as amateur spies enables China to utilize this information gathering mechanism. In this regard, it is noteworthy that “the Ministry of State Security has rewarded Chinese fishermen with ‘handsome’ rewards” for discovering several spy gadgets in their fishing nets in the exclusive economic zones of China.
Historical Precedents for the Reward Program
The system in China for rewarding civilians for discovering spying equipment was first introduced not later than 2017, indicating the long-standing presence of concerns about marine espionage in the country. Thus, in January 2018, Chinese authorities rewarded and provided financial incentives to a farmer living in Wenzhou in the Zhejiang province for finding foreign underwater drones on the shore near his home. The previous example of awarding fishermen living in coastal Jiangsu province for finding suspicious equipment that turned out to be gathering information for foreign states occurred as early as January 2017.
Timeline of China’s Marine Espionage Claims and Their Evolution
China’s marine espionage claims have evolved significantly over the past six years, showing increasing sophistication in both alleged methods and the ministry’s rhetorical framing. In 2020, China claimed discovery of seabed spying devices described as “secret guards” on the seabed collecting hydrographic data.
By 2019, allegations included sea cucumber farmers suspicious about hardware installed by foreign equipment suppliers for aquaculture data-monitoring equipment. The May 2024 warning mentioned various types of “maritime espionage” discovered in China’s waters without specifying device types.
In October 2024, Beijing reported the discovery of espionage devices on the high seas, including seabed surveillance equipment. In July 2025, the Ministry warned about espionage in the field of marine data through the use of underwater devices that collect information from the ocean. In June 2026, Beijing made perhaps the most absurd accusations to date – spying by “spy turtles” and “spy fish” in addition to marine life equipped with sensors, buoys, and wave gliders.
The recent threat by the Ministry of State Security has expanded the list of accusations to include marine animals equipped with sensors and a “maritime welfare organization” under the pretext of providing data to relevant organizations when they are actually collecting marine data from along China’s coastline for other reasons. The involvement of civilian organizations in espionage cases is part of a broader strategy of scapegoating.
International Espionage Accusations and Reciprocal Tensions
The Chinese government has accused several countries of carrying out espionage activities against the nation in recent times, giving rise to a trend of mutually accusing each other of spying. In May 2026, China criticized the conviction of two individuals for spying on Chinese dissidents in Hong Kong in the United Kingdom, calling it a “political farce” due to “erroneous practices.” Also, in May 2026, the arrest was made by German police of a married couple accused of carrying out espionage for China in an attempt to gain information regarding advanced technology with military purposes.
In February 2026, French investigators filed charges against four people, including two Chinese nationals, over the suspected interception of military intelligence. In February 2026, a colonel of the Greek military forces was arrested in Greece for suspected espionage for China involving classified military information.
