A Chinese man unwittingly buys four books of military secrets, prompting a national security alert.
In a surprising turn of events, a military history enthusiast in China accidentally acquired four books containing classified military information for less than $1 from a local recycling station. The Ministry of State Security shared the alarming discovery in a social media post, praising the retired man, known only by his last name, Zhang, for reporting the find.
According to the post, Zhang, a former employee of a state-owned company, discovered the books while searching for new additions to his collection of military periodicals. When he realized the books were military secrets, he immediately contacted the authorities. The Ministry highlighted the potential consequences had someone with malicious intent acquired the documents instead.
The post, which has been widely circulated on Chinese news platforms, sheds light on the growing concerns over national security, especially amid rising tensions with the United States. It also serves as part of a broader government campaign to raise public awareness about the risks of classified information leaks.
The investigation revealed that two military workers, tasked with shredding over 200 books, mistakenly sold the sensitive materials as scrap paper. The documents, weighing around 65 pounds, were sold to the recycling station for about $2.75. The Ministry of State Security commended Zhang for his vigilance in preventing a potential national security breach.
