Business Insider: Hu Jintao intervenes in alleged US spy case
China’s President Hu Jintao wave as he leave the Danish Royal yacht Dannebrog in Copenhagen on June 15, 2012. Hu had a hand in the arrest of a state-security official believed to be a US spy.
President Hu Jintao had a hand in the arrest of an alleged US spy, after he personally ordered an investigation into blunders at the Ministry of State Security, reports Reuters.
The investigation led to the arrest earlier this year of a Chinese state-security official who had supposedly been passing information to the CIA for years.
Jintao ordered an investigation after the aide to vice minister Lu Zhongwei was arrested sometime between January and March by Ministry of State Security.
Chinese media published that the official "fell into a pretty woman trap" set up by the CIA as he was blackmailed and agreed to supply secret information to the US after he was photographed with secret liaisons, according to a BBC report on June 1.
The sources told Reuters that the information involved "political, economic and strategic intelligence." Lu has been cleared of working for the US but the investigation found that he did fail to properly screen the aide before hiring him.
China has been doing constant damage control in a year when Communist Party plans a once-a-decade leadership transition. The normally choreographed process has been hindered by a murder scandal involving Bo Xilai, a contender for the new leadership team, and a diplomatic crisis when blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng escaped from house arrest and sought refuge in the US embassy in Beijing.
Follow Michael Kelley on Twitter.
Ask Michael A Question >
More from our partners at Business Insider:
Business Insider: The 15 Most Peaceful Nations in the World
Business Insider: This Website Will Make You Terrified to Eat Food in China
Business Insider: The Greece Crisis Explained by Two Words
Business Insider: R. Kelly Owes the IRS Millions in Taxes
Business Insider: Putin Makes It Rain…?
The story you just read is accessible and free to all because thousands of listeners and readers contribute to our nonprofit newsroom. We go deep to bring you the human-centered international reporting that you know you can trust. To do this work and to do it well, we rely on the support of our listeners. If you appreciated our coverage this year, if there was a story that made you pause or a song that moved you, would you consider making a gift to sustain our work through 2024 and beyond?