Chinese State Media Promotes Dramatic Spy Bust by Ride-Hailing Driver, Sparking Doubts

Chinese state media is promoting a dramatic “counterespionage” case in which a ride-hailing driver allegedly helped detain two foreign spies outside a military compound—an account that has drawn skepticism from analysts and insiders.

China’s Ministry of State Security on April 16 published a statement and a 4-minute video labeled as a reenactment of the incident via state media Xinhua News Agency. The statement described a ride-share driver who identified suspicious behavior by two foreign passengers and assisted in their capture. The article and video didn’t identify the individuals or the foreign country allegedly involved, nor the time and location of the incident.

A Cinematic Account

According to the statement and the video, the driver picked up two foreign passengers in an urban area, and on the way to their destination, they passed by the gate of a military installation on the outskirts of a city. They appeared to be very interested in the compound, with the passenger seated in the front taking many photos of the front gate, walls, and surroundings from the moving car.

The driver noted their behavior and, after completing the trip, called a national security tip line. He then anticipated the pair to request a ride again soon and waited nearby.

In a subsequent booking, the same passengers set a separate military training site as their destination, and the same driver picked up the request. The driver then decided to submit them to the authorities and altered the route. The front passenger soon became suspicious and attempted to delete photos, prompting the driver to seize the phone when he stopped the car at the front gate of a nearby military base, according to the statement and video.

Chinese military personnel then detained the passengers and handed them over to state security authorities.

The statement described the two individuals as having been “directed by foreign intelligence agencies” to conduct reconnaissance on Chinese military sites, and the driver was awarded a “special major contribution” honor.

Several insiders and analysts in China, who spoke to The Epoch Times on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisal, questioned the authenticity of the account.

A former criminal investigator in Hunan province told the publication that the sequence of events appears implausible.

“If the driver had already reported suspicious activity, why not wait for authorities to handle it?” he said. “Instead, he allegedly accepted another ride [from the foreigners] and drove directly to a military facility. That sounds more like a staged operation than a spontaneous incident.”

The former criminal investigator also questioned why an untrained civilian would take on the risk of confronting potential suspects. “What if they had dangerous items—poison, spray weapons, even a firearm?” he said.

A ride-hailing driver in Hubei province told The Epoch Times that it is unlikely that the driver would receive a second booking from the same passengers.

“Ride-hailing platforms assign orders randomly,” he said. “The chance of getting the same passengers again is not high. Yet the state media report says it happened almost immediately. That sounds more like a made-up story.”

The driver also noted that military compounds in China are typically surrounded by restricted zones marked with clear warnings, raising questions about how a civilian vehicle could approach a gate without authorization.

Broader Messaging on National Security

An analyst said the case fits into a broader pattern of the Chinese regime’s messaging around national security.

A China-based scholar told The Epoch Times such cases are often released around politically significant dates, such as the country’s annual National Security Education Day on April 15.

“These stories often resemble movie plots but lack basic details like time, place, and identities,” he said. “That makes them hard to verify and raises doubts about their authenticity.”

The scholar added that similar cases have been publicized in recent years, often portraying espionage threats in everyday settings. The narratives, he said, appear designed to heighten public vigilance and suspicion toward foreigners and even Chinese nationals with overseas ties.

According to the scholar, the dissemination follows a familiar pattern—an initial release by state security authorities, amplification through state media, and further spread via social media channels—ultimately shaping public opinion around perceived external threats.

In recent years, the Chinese regime has broadened the definition of national security risks and espionage beyond traditional intelligence activities.

The regime’s anti-espionage law has become increasingly broad and vague, raising concerns from foreign businesses and visitors in the country.

Wang Xin contributed to this report.