People who are engaged in spying activities, including stealing, detecting, purchasing or leaking state secrets in China will face harsh punishment ranging from a 10-year imprisonment to life and possibly the death penalty.
Those convicted may have their personal property confiscated as well.
This was announced by the Supreme People's Court while explaining the issue on Sunday, January 21.
The supreme court listed three kinds of spying activities that are "especially severe," including cases involving top state secrets, those involving three state secrets, and those that cause extremely serious damages to state security and interests.
People who have committed similar crimes on the Internet will also be punished according to Criminal Law, it said.
(People's Daily 01/21/2001)
