The Ministry of State Security in China has asserted that foreign intelligence and espionage agencies are employing advanced tactics to surveil the country’s maritime regions, including the use of “spy” animals equipped with sensors.
In a recent announcement on WeChat, the ministry cautioned that an “invisible secret war” is unfolding in the waters surrounding China, with foreign entities gathering sensitive information using a range of new surveillance technologies. This data collection aims to create underwater maps that pose a “significant threat to our national security.”
The ministry specifically mentioned the use of large marine creatures, such as “spy turtles” and “spy fish,” which have been discovered swimming in Chinese waters with sensors attached to them.
These animals are reportedly gathering crucial environmental data, including real-time measurements of water temperature, salinity, and ocean currents, and transmitting this information abroad via satellite. However, the ministry did not provide details on the locations where these animals were found or the identities of those who equipped them with the sensors.
The use of marine animals for espionage is not a novel concept. Earlier in 2023, British intelligence reported that Russia was enhancing security at its Black Sea fleet base in Sevastopol, located on the occupied Crimean peninsula, by utilizing trained dolphins. According to the UK defense intelligence agency, these bottlenose dolphins were kept in floating pens and trained to “counter enemy divers.”
Furthermore, China’s state security ministry indicated that it had identified buoys “deployed by a foreign marine research institute,” which were outfitted with meteorological sensors capable of tracking the “acoustic signatures of Chinese submarines in real time.”
The ministry also mentioned a new kind of “wave glider,” powered by wave motion and solar energy, which it claimed is being used by foreign actors to relay “military-related maritime environmental data and information regarding vessel activities.”
China frequently alleges that espionage activities are occurring in its nearby waters, including the South China Sea, East China Sea, and the Taiwan Strait—regions that are among the most strategically sensitive and contested globally. In 2024, the government reported discovering “lighthouses” concealed on the ocean floor that could facilitate the passage of foreign submarines and “prepare for battle.”
According to Chinese media sources, the government provides financial incentives ranging from 50,000 to 500,000 yuan (approximately £5,500 to £55,000) to fishermen who uncover spying devices within its territorial waters.
Additional reporting by Yu-chen Li.
