China warns of ‘honey trap’ risks in defence sector after official jailed for espionage

Chinese state security authorities have warned of the risk of “honey traps” in the defence and technology sectors, saying that in one case a public official was blackmailed into surrendering state secrets following a trip abroad.In an article published on Wednesday, a social media account affiliated with the National Administration of State Secrets Protection said defence industry personnel were becoming targets of honey traps set by foreign intelligence agencies.According to the account called Baomiguan, a project manager surnamed Guo from a mainland military enterprise was on a work trip abroad to verify the results of a project. While overseas, a spy posing as a “business representative” approached Guo via deliberately arranged social events.“This seemingly accidental encounter was actually a honey trap orchestrated by a foreign intelligence agency,” the article said.After Guo had sexual relations with a woman working for the spy’s organisation, the agency threatened to expose Guo’s affair and successfully recruited him, the report said.