Retired military history buff surprisingly buys books that turned out to be classified Chinese documents
Date
6/24/2024 8:10:19 AM
(MENAFN) A retired military history enthusiast, identified only by his surname Zhang, recently found himself in possession of classified Chinese military documents after purchasing books from a recycling station in his community. This surprising turn of events was detailed in a social media post by the Chinese Ministry of State Security last Thursday.
Zhang, a former employee of a state-owned enterprise, has a deep interest in collecting military-related books and newspapers, making routine visits to local recycling stations in search of new additions to his collection. During one such visit, he came across two bags of books being loaded for scrap. Intrigued, Zhang selected four books that caught his attention and purchased them for a modest sum of 6 yuan (approximately USD0.83).
Upon closer inspection at home, Zhang discovered that the documents contained markings indicating they were classified as ‘secret’ and ‘confidential’. Realizing the sensitive nature of his find, Zhang promptly contacted the local office of the Ministry of State Security to report his discovery.
Subsequent investigations revealed that the books originated from a nearby military unit where two military personnel, identified as Guo and Li, had been tasked with destroying several batches of documents. Instead of carrying out proper disposal procedures, Guo and Li opted to sell the documents, weighing over 30kg, to the recycling station for approximately 20 yuan (USD2.75).
In response to the incident, the Ministry of State Security has taken steps to educate employees at recycling stations on the proper handling of sensitive materials. Additionally, they have collaborated with the military to strengthen protocols regarding the disposal of classified documents to prevent future breaches of confidentiality. The ministry emphasized that while the leak did not pose significant security risks, both Guo and Li have been reprimanded for their lapse in maintaining confidentiality protocols.
This incident underscores the importance of stringent security measures in handling classified information and highlights the unintended consequences that can arise from improper disposal practices in sensitive sectors.
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