反间防谍，针对谁？
Counterespionage Efforts: Targeting Whom?
2023年7月1日，新修订的《中华人民共和国反间谍法》公布施行，为新形势下防范打击各种间谍活动、维护国家安全提供了有力法律武器，为以新安全格局保障新发展格局、以高水平安全保障高质量发展筑牢了法治基石。以立法形式维护国家安全，是世界各国的通行做法。《反间谍法》修订实施近2年来，受到境内境外广泛关注和普遍支持，但也受到了别有用心的人刻意误读和污蔑抹黑，有必要进一步释疑增信、以正视听。
On July 1, 2023, the newly revised Counterespionage Law of the People's Republic of China was promulgated and came into effect. This law provides not only a robust legal instrument for preventing and punishing espionage activities of all kinds, safeguarding national security in present times. It also offers a sound and solid legal foundation for fostering a new pattern of development with a new security architecture and ensuring high-quality development with high-level security. It is common practice for all countries to safeguard their national security through legislation. In almost two years of its revision and implementation, Counterespionage Law has gained widespread attention and broad support both domestically and internationally. Nevertheless, it has also been deliberately misinterpreted and maliciously smeared by those with ulterior motives, hence the necessity to clarify doubts, reinforce trust, and set the record straight.
——反间防谍针对的是危害我国国家安全的间谍行为。防范、制止和惩治间谍行为，维护国家安全，保护人民利益，是《反间谍法》的立法目的。科学界定间谍行为范围，及时纳入法律管制范畴，是实现依法打击的基本前提。新修订《反间谍法》立足“保护合法、打击非法”，通过进一步清晰界定间谍行为的内涵外延，更加准确划定了合法与非法的行为边界，既有利于保护和促进正常对外交流合作，又有利于依法惩治间谍违法犯罪行为，实现促发展和保安全的良性互动。比如，《反间谍法》第四条规定了六类间谍行为，每一类均有明确的条件和清晰的界定，极大避免了反间防谍工作中的随意性，增强了法律适用的确定性，在精准打击间谍行为的同时，使企业和个人在合法行为范围内自由开展社会活动，为维护正常的社会秩序提供了法律保障。
——Counterespionage efforts target espionage activities that endanger China's national security.The legislative purpose of Counterespionage Law is to prevent, stop, and punish espionage acts, thereby safeguarding national security and protecting general interests of the people overall. Under such law, the scope of espionage activities is scientifically defined,and provides sound foundational legal insurance as fundamental prerequisites for effective lawful enforcements. Grounded in the principle of “protecting legality while combating illegality”, the revised law clarifies both definition and boundaries of espionage activities thereby more precisely delineating the difference between lawful and unlawful conduct. This approach not only facilitates and promotes healthy international exchanges and cooperations but also strengthens the lawful punishment of espionage crimes, achieving a positive interplay between development and security. For example, Article 4 of Counterespionage Law defines six categories of espionage acts, each with clear criteria and well-defined parameters. This significantly reduces arbitrariness in counterespionage operations, enhances legal certainty in enforcement outcome, and ensures that businesses and individuals can freely engage in social activities within the bounds of the law, thereby providing legal safeguards for maintaining social orders.
——反间防谍针对的是从事间谍行为的机构、组织和人员。近年来，境外间谍情报机关对我渗透窃密活动明显加剧，手段更加多样，手法更加隐蔽，目标更加多元，领域更加宽广，情报窃密无孔不入。我国反间谍工作实行积极防御的方针，目的是防御，防范打击危害我国家安全的各种间谍活动，严厉打击敌对势力渗透、破坏、颠覆、分裂活动，不会对他国其他合法组织进行打击、压制。《反间谍法》保护的是绝大多数人员的合法权益，打击的是极少数从事危害我国国家安全间谍行为的组织、机构、人员。只要不是接受境外间谍组织及其代理人的指使，没有实施刺探、窃取、收买、非法提供国家秘密、情报等行为，就不会被认定为间谍行为。依照《反间谍法》开展反间防谍工作，能够更好统筹发展和安全，持续营造健康稳定的良好发展环境。
——Counterespionage efforts target organizations, groups, and individuals involved in espionage activities. In recent years, foreign intelligence agencies have intensified their infiltration and espionage activities against China, employing increasingly diversified methods and covert tactics onto broader targets in multiple domains under intelligence theft operations. China’s counterespionage approach follows the principle of active defense, with the fundamental purpose of safeguarding national security by preventing and combating all forms of espionage activities while resolutely opposing infiltration, sabotage, subversion, and separatist activities by hostile forces. It does not target or suppress legitimate organizations of other countries. Counterespionage Law protects the lawful rights and interests of the vast majority while targeting only the very few institutions, organizations, and individuals that engage in activities endangering China's national security. As long as individuals or entities do not act under the direction of foreign espionage organizations or relevant agents, and have not engaged in activities such as spying, stealing, purchasing, or illegally providing state secrets or intelligence, such conduct will not be identified as espionage. The implementation of Counterespionage Law enables better coordination between development and security, fostering a healthy, stable and sustainable environment for China’s future development.
——反间谍工作受到严格的法律保护和约束。坚持依法办事、依法办案，是开展反间谍工作的基本要求。国家安全机关是反间谍工作的主管机关，严格依照国家法律赋予的职权开展反间谍工作，严禁超越职权、滥用职权，并依法保障个人和组织的合法权益。国家安全机关始终坚持公开透明的执法监督，2023年4月，国家安全部首次向全社会开通100091信箱-091分箱作为监督举报专用信箱，开通400-040-5198专线作为监督举报专用电话；2024年4月26日，国家安全部首次向社会公布《国家安全机关行政执法程序规定》和《国家安全机关办理刑事案件程序规定》，严格规范国家安全机关执法活动，进一步将反间防谍工作置于全社会的监督之下，确保每一项工作都经得起法律和历史检验。
——Counterespionage efforts are strictly governed and constrained by law. Adhering to lawful procedures and judicial fairness constitutes the fundamental requirement for conducting counterespionage work. As competent bodies responsible for counterespionage operations, state security authorities strictly perform their duties within the legal mandate conferred by national legislation, expressly prohibited from overstepping or abusing their authority while safeguarding the lawful rights and interests of individuals and organizations in accordance with the law. This means that these institutions must consistently uphold principles of open and transparent law enforcement supervision. In April 2023, the Ministry of State Security launched for the first time public oversight channels of “Mailbox 100091-091”, as a dedicated supervision platform, and established “400-040-5198” as an all-day operated dedicated supervision hotline. On April 26, 2024, the Ministry publicly released the Provisions on Administrative Law Enforcement Procedures of State Security Organs and the Provisions on Criminal Case Handling Procedures by State Security Organs for the first time. These measures strictly standardize law enforcement activities of state security organs, further placing counterespionage efforts under comprehensive societal supervision to ensure that every counter-measurement withstands the scrutiny of both law and history.
