Unspecified private companies “with ties to foreign intelligence agencies” may be using weather monitoring equipment in China as a disguise for signals intelligence operations to gather sensitive data, the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) said on Sunday.
The ministry reported that it followed up on at least two tips from members of the public about these constructions placed near guarded locations, including a secret research facility.
One of the inspected towers had an unexpected capacity to analyze data, which the Chinese officials deemed suspicious, while the other used “complex data transmission routes and exhibited clear security risks,” a statement on the MSS WeChat account read.
A regular tower is equipped with an array of instruments that collect information about air pressure, wind speed, and temperature, as well as communication devices to report the observations to scientists. The ministry stressed that a proper construction permit is required for these installations and that Chinese law forbids their placement near classified facilities.
According to Chinese news outlet the Global Times, the ministry inspected around 3,000 meteorological stations linked to foreign companies between January and October last year. Hundreds of them reportedly had issues with paperwork, with irregularities discovered in over 20 provinces.
The US has similar concerns about civilian infrastructure that originates in China and operates on American soil, as evidenced by an executive order issued by President Joe Biden in February. He instructed officials and port authorities to be on guard for possible espionage operations by Beijing.
The Americans are particularly suspicious of Chinese-made cranes used at US ports, which they claim have equipment of unclear purpose installed on them. The state-owned Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company Limited, identified by Washington as a potential threat, has dismissed the allegations, saying its products pose “no cybersecurity risks to any port” in the world.