Chinese Ministry of National Security Cracks Down on Flight Tracking Devices from Overseas
The WeChat public account of China’s Ministry of National Security recently published an article stating that it had launched a “special operation” and seized hundreds of devices released in China, and punished relevant personnel in accordance with the law. The article claimed that these equipment were provided by “overseas institutions”, using “shared aviation information” as bait, relying on online social platforms to accurately recruit “volunteers” from domestic aviation enthusiasts, and mailing the equipment across the border to direct the “volunteers” in China “Illegal collection and secret transmission abroad” of Chinese aircraft flight data within the country.
The department also warned that these overseas institutions have placed a large number of such equipment in China’s Bohai, East China Sea, and South China Sea provinces, not only “stealing” civil aviation data but also “stealing” sensitive data information such as military aircraft. The article by China’s Ministry of State Security did not explicitly mention the name, but China had removed the flight-tracking service website named “Flightradar24” in November 2021.
The article disclosed that the signal named “ADS-B” receiving device that can monitor aircraft and thus track real-time flight information around the world had raised concerns in China. It is said that with about 300 “ADS-B” installed in China, aircraft signals in the national airspace can be monitored, and the information of civil aircraft and military aircraft can also be seen at a glance.
Some English-language aviation enthusiast websites have expressed different opinions on China’s special operation. While some expressed understanding from China’s perspective, others felt sorry for Chinese aviation enthusiasts and did not believe that the devices posed a threat.
The Chinese Ministry of National Security has launched a crackdown on the installation and use of the “ADS-B” equipment in China, with reports indicating that aviation enthusiasts who installed the devices were approached by authorities and asked to sign orders to correct the equipment. Additionally, the Ministry warned that overseas institutions, organizations, and individuals commit acts of espionage when they steal, spy, bribe, or illegally provide data related to national security and interests.
The controversy comes as “Flightradar24” attracted attention in China due to its tracking of specific flights involving high-profile individuals and events related to geopolitics. Overall, the Chinese government’s move to regulate the installation and use of these flight-tracking devices in the country is reflective of the ongoing tensions in the espionage war between China and the West.