Mao Ning profile photo Photo: official website of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
A Japanese citizen who is suspected of engaging in espionage activities, violating China's Criminal Law and the Counter-Espionage Law, has been placed under compulsory measures by the relevant authorities in accordance with the criminal procedure law, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at Thursday's routine press briefing, commenting on whether China will formally arrest a Japanese citizen suspected of engaging in espionage activities.
China protects the lawful rights and interests of the person concerned as the law dictates. In accordance with relevant international conventions and the China-Japan Consular Agreement, China has provided facilitation for consular access by officials of the Japanese side to this individual, said Mao.
China is a country under the rule of law. All foreigners living and traveling in China must observe Chinese laws and those who violate the law and commit crimes will be held legally accountable. There have been similar cases involving Japanese citizens in recent years and the Japanese side needs to do more to ask their citizens not to engage in such activities, Mao said.
China's newly revised Counter-Espionage Law came into effect on July 1, one of the country's measures to safeguard national security in the face of an increasingly complex counter-espionage situation.
