BEIJING – China has stepped up its campaign against foreign espionage witha website in Mandarin and English encouraging people to report nationalsecurity threats such as bids to “overthrow the socialist system”.

The website, www.12339.gov.cn, launched by the ministry of nationalsecurity on Sunday, also urges anyone to report attempts by Chinesenationals or foreigners to bribe state or military officials, instigatearmed riots or incite ethnic separatism.

Potential problematic behaviour also includes foreigners meeting “anyperson within China who has conducted activities endangering state securityor is strongly suspected of doing so” — raising concerns that anyinteraction with dissidents would be frowned upon.

Informants will be rewarded for discovering espionage equipment or fortip-offs on anyone suspected of buying or selling state secrets, accordingto the website, which allows users to lodge complaints in both Chinese andEnglish.

The website did not offer details on the rewards. The Beijing City NationalSecurity Bureau was offering $1,500 to $73,000 for information on spies,the official Beijing Daily reported last April.

The ministry has also released a cartoon, entitled “a friend with a mask,”to illustrate possible questionable behaviour, as part of its campaign tomark China’s National Security Education Day on April 15.

The cartoon tells the story of a foreigner from an internationalnon-governmental organisation, who is promoting “western-style” workers’rights in China.

The foreigner allegedly “bribes” a Chinese representative to organiseseminars and mobilise workers to protest for their rights. According to thecartoon, such public protests are illegal and a vigilant worker reports theforeigner behind “the unrest”.

In 2016, another series of cartoons published by the ministry warnedChinese nationals against entering into romantic relationships withforeigners, since this could be a possible means of eliciting state secrets.