Kristin DeasyJune 1, 2012 22:57

Reports: China arrested state official believed working for CIA

Source tells Reuters official gave CIA “political, economic and strategic intelligence.”

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivers an address to the US-China Conference at the US Institute of Peace on March 7, 2012 in Washington, D.C. (T.J. Kirkpatrick/AFP/Getty Images)

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Unidentified sources say China has arrested a state security official believed spying for the United States, Reuters reported.

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The New York Times said the accused, who reportedly worked for China's intelligence agency, was apprehended earlier this year, said AFP.

Agence France Press, quoting Hong Kong's New Way magazine, said the official's immediate superior, vice minister for the Ministry of State Security, has also been temporarily removed from his post.

Unnamed sources said the English-speaking official was recruited by the CIA in order to gain “political, economic and strategic intelligence,” for which the person was supposedly paid hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to Reuters.

China’s foreign ministry has declined to comment, said Reuters, as has Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, said AFP.

The accused's name was not revealed. No additional details were provided.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/china/120601/china-arrests-state-official-suspected-cia-ties

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