Chinese Civilian Security & Intelligence in Hong Kong: Part 1

Following on from China’s military spying on people in Hong Kong there are many more civilian intelligence employees and their informants doing the spying. Their targets include:

-  of course, current and former protesters who might retrospectively be charged with
   breaking the new security laws when enacted in a few weeks/months

-  anti-communist, pro-democracy figures (even if they haven’t attended a protest), and

-  those who have been recorded in contact with foreign representatives in Hong Kong,
   especially those Hong Kongese observed talking to or “receiving orders from” the
   US Consulate General in Hong Kong

The peak Chinese civilian external intelligence and internal security agency is the Ministry of State Security (MSS) whose public website (even in English) is here (at https://www.12339.gov.cn/.

 "12339" appears to be the MSS phone number that Chinese citizens can call to inform on somebody! So even if many in Hong Kong see themselves as separate from China they can still be monitored by MSS. To be precise monitored by MSS area Bureau No. 4 and by MSS Bureau No. 14 (responsible for "inspecting mail and telecommunications" which would work with, of be part of, China's NSA.)

Hong Kong in light green and only 1,104 square kms in size, has many islands and borders mainland China. Shenzhen can be seen just over the border. (Map courtesy TravelChinaGuide . com)

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MSS officers in Hong Kong (population 7.5 million) no doubt number in their thousands. Many more may commute daily from the neighbouring city of Shenzhen (population 24 million). Also Hong Kongese can be monitored from MSS/Chinese NSA officers working at more remote surveillance terminals in Beijing, Shanghai or any other mainland Chinese area.

Pete