Beautiful Spies Seducing Officials to Steal Intelligence: Are Such Scenarios Real?
Such plots, often seen in 007 espionage movies, have been highlighted by deep throats revealing that the U.S. State Department has prohibited foreign personnel and their families from engaging in romantic relationships or affairs with Chinese citizens while working in China in order to prevent the theft of confidential information by China.
Four anonymous sources with knowledge of the matter disclosed to the Associated Press that this policy was implemented shortly after Nicholas Burns, the U.S. Ambassador to China, left his post in January this year. Although some U.S. agencies have long established strict regulations regarding such romantic relations developed for business purposes, the allure still proves irresistible for expatriates, and it is not uncommon for American diplomats stationed abroad to date or even marry locals. However, a blanket “no dating” policy had never been heard of before.
U.S. Embassy in China Bans Romantic Relationships with Chinese Citizens
Ambassador Nicholas Burns, who served at the U.S. Embassy for three years, expanded the scope of the romance ban in early January to include a complete prohibition on dating or engaging in relationships with any Chinese citizens just days before President Trump took office. Two individuals familiar with the ban told the Associated Press that the new policy was discussed as early as last summer when lawmakers contacted Burns expressing concerns that the existing restrictions on such relationships were not strict enough. The House China Communist Party Special Committee did not respond to requests for comment.
The new policy will cover U.S. personnel stationed in mainland China, including the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and the consulates in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Wuhan, as well as the U.S. Consulate in the semi-autonomous region of Hong Kong. The policy does not apply to personnel stationed outside of China.
The only exception to the policy is that personnel who are already in a relationship with a Chinese citizen may apply for a waiver. Sources say that if a waiver application is denied, they must terminate the relationship or resign. Anyone who violates the policy will be ordered to leave China immediately. The policy has been communicated to U.S. personnel in China both verbally and electronically since January but has not been publicly announced. The U.S. State Department has stated that it will not comment on internal matters.
Espionage Against Espionage: Is the U.S. and China Returning to Cold War Times?
Intelligence agencies worldwide have long trained operatives to penetrate intelligence through charm. During the U.S.-Soviet Cold War, the U.S. State Department imposed strict requirements on personnel stationed abroad.
Declassified U.S. State Department documents reveal that in 1987, a U.S. Marine stationed in Moscow was seduced by a Soviet spy, leading the U.S. government to prohibit personnel stationed in the Soviet Union and China from befriending, dating, or engaging in sexual relationships with locals.
For many years, the U.S. did not explicitly prohibit such romantic relationships in China, and the boundaries of what constitutes treasonous relationships remain ambiguous. Before the new ban was introduced in January, personnel stationed in China were required to report any intimate contact with Chinese citizens to superiors, but there was no explicit prohibition against engaging in sexual or romantic relationships.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not commented on the ban, stating only in a faxed statement that “this issue should be inquired about with the U.S. side.”
According to Chinese regulations, China has also been strengthening strict controls over overseas personnel. In recent years, Beijing has begun to enforce rules prohibiting Chinese officials whose spouses have obtained foreign nationality from being promoted, and has limited the duration of diplomats’ stays in one country, forcing some diplomats to return to China.
Several married officials in Taiwan have also been involved in “pro-China” incidents, indicating that espionage tactics targeting human weaknesses remain effective.
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