They could also put defence planning at risk by revealing key information such as location of deployments and frequency of use of the military equipment.
The ministry said there had been cases in recent years of people using professional equipment such as telephoto lenses and drones to secretly photograph military equipment at military airports, ports, and national defence industrial units.
“[These] individual ‘military fans’ illegally obtained national military information for personal reasons to show off and gain traffic. It spreads to the internet, where it is used by people with ulterior motives, causing serious harm to national military security,” the ministry said.
The offenders were punished, it said.
According to state broadcaster CCTV, intelligence experts said the photos had time details that could enable foreign intelligence to assess progress on the aircraft carrier and had enough resolution to gauge the parameters of its sensitive devices.
Also that year, a man was sentenced to 14 months in prison for illegally obtaining state secrets after taking photos containing military secrets near a dual-use airport in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province.
02:36
Mainland China launches military drill near Taiwan in ‘severe warning to separatist forces’
Mainland China launches military drill near Taiwan in ‘severe warning to separatist forces’
The ministry warned in the post that individuals illegally obtaining or possessing documents, data, materials, and items containing state secrets but that not amounting to a criminal offence could face up to 10 days in detention.
Serious and repeat offenders who obtain state secrets through theft, spying, or bribery could face up to seven years in prison.
The ministry also encouraged Chinese citizens to do their part against spying, creating channels and platforms for the public to report suspicious activities that could endanger national security.
