MSS

Introduction

What is it?  What is their mission?  Does it have a long history? How many divisions does it have?  What about their operations?  What are they doing today?  

Definition

MSS means ministry of state security.  They are the "civilian intelligence, security and and secret police."  They are like the CIA and FBI mixed together.  Their HQ is Beijing and it may be the most secretive intelligence agency in the world.  They real big on Marxism.     

Mission

They gather intelligence on other countries and prevent other intelligence agencies from learning China's secrets.  Their main goal is to prevent anyone from toppling the communist government.  If any organization in China opposes the CCP they will crushed!!!!  They'll arrest anyone that jeopardizes state security.             

History

It started in 1927 under a different name; and it name changed throughout the years.  It became MSS in 1983.  In the beginning they had 4 sections.  The first one would protect HQ and leaders.  The 2nd section gather intelligence and did counterintelligence.  The 3rd section killed traitors and the final section controlled a underground spy network.  The 2nd incarnation had 6 sections: intelligence, counterintelligence, analysis, personal and administration, execution, and security.  The 3rd incarnation supported the Khmer Rogue.  They tried to stop the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia, but was unsuccessful.          

Bureaus

1: Confidential Communication-Handle secret information.

2: International Intelligence-Collect strategic information on other countries.

3: Political and Economic Intelligence-Gather scientific, economic, and political information on other countries.    

4: Same as 2 and 3, but it focus on Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau.

5: Report Analysis and Dissemination-Analysis the intelligence gathered and report it to the government.  They teach agents the proper way to collect intelligence.  

6: Operational Guidance-They control MSS offices.

7: Counterintelligence-Learn about other intelligence agencies spying on China.

8: Counterintelligence Investigation-Detect and arrest spies from other agencies that's in China.  

9: Internal Security & Anti-Reconnaissance-Make sure there's no double agents in MSS. 

10: Same as 9, but overseas.  

11: Institutes of Contemporary International Relations-'Influence foreign diplomats and academics.  They also collect open-source intelligence.'

12: Social Investigation-Studies the population of China.

13: Information Technology and Evaluation Center-Research, development and management of science and machines.

14: Technical Reconnaissance-Spy on mail and telecommunication.

15: Taiwan Department

16: Imaging Intelligence-'Collection and analysis of geospatial information.'    

17: Enterprises-'Operates and manages MSS front companies.'

18: United States Operations-Spying in and against the U.S.   

Operations

Canada's government computers were hacked in 2011 and Indian government computers as well.  In 2013 hackers stole blueprints of Australia's Security Intelligence HQ.  Gothic Panda (APT3) is a group of hackers working 4 MSS.  They were discovered in 2017.  The following year APT10 was discovered.  2 MSS contractors hacked Moderna in 2020.  RedDelta hacked the computer network of the Vatican.  Those hackers were sponsored by China.  The next year 200 Japanese companies were hacked.  B4 the Russian invasion of Ukraine, MSS hacked Ukraine's government computers.   

                                                                    

Currently

It is the biggest intelligence agency in the world!!!!!  That's because China has the biggest population in the world; and they can squeeze Chinese people in other countries.  They recruit people from universities, police departments and military units.  They persecute Christians and people who practice Falun Gong.  They censor the internet, so Chinese people won't know what's going on around the world.  U.S. citizens have been recruited by them and some of those recruits went to prison.  There were 250 MSS spies in Brussels in 2019.  3 spies were expelled from Britain.  They were pertaining to be journalists.  There was an MSS informant working 4 Twitter last year.  

                                                                                           

Conclusion

MSS is Chinese civilian intelligence agency and it's huge!!!!!  Their duties is to make sure no one can topple CCP and spying.  They have been around for almost a century and had 3 previous incarnations.  It has 18 bureaus and engage in several operations.  They are very busy today spying on other countries.  

References

wikipedia.org

google.com

https://www.asianwarrior.com/2016/09/decoding-mss-ministry-of-state-security-china.html

https://irp.fas.org/world/china/mss/org.htm

https://www.firstpost.com/opinion/global-watch-how-chinese-spy-agency-mss-disrupts-the-world-12231632.html

MSS Threat to U.S.