China’s Spy Agency Sees Risks in Smart Equipment Imports

The vague warning echoes a longstanding U.S. complaint that the CCP’s data collection efforts threaten American information security and intellectual property.

People look at semiconductor products at the 2025 World Semiconductor Conference Expo in Nanjing, in China's eastern Jiangsu province on June 20, 2025. /AFP via Getty Images

Amid rising tensions with the West, China’s top intelligence agency has issued a new warning to its citizens: be wary of imported devices.

In a July 21 post on its official WeChat account, China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS)—China’s spy agency known for espionage operations in the United States and other countries—cautioned that foreign-made chips, smart equipment, and systems may contain “back doors” that could allow foreign actors to access sensitive information.