A war of words broke out between the Philippines and the Chinese regime last week after a Chinese engineer was arrested for allegedly spying on the Philippines’ defense capabilities, including sites jointly maintained with the United States.
Manila’s National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested the Chinese national and two Filipinos, who are alleged accomplices, on Jan. 17 for “illegal surveillance and spying activities,” according to a statement released by the NBI on Jan. 20.The NBI’s special task force and its cybercrime division received an intelligence report in December 2024, alerting them to a group of Chinese citizens who were allegedly obtaining sensitive information in the guise of autonomous vehicle development.
According to the NBI, the suspects were “allegedly engaged in surveillance operations, unlawfully obtaining and disclosing information affecting national defense, utilizing advanced technologies.”
The arrest triggered a fresh public spat between Beijing and Manila. The Chinese regime released a statement calling the accusation unfounded. The Philippines released more information on the case throughout the week.
“The so-called ‘espionage’ operation of a Chinese citizen in the Philippines is baseless speculation and accusation,” the Chinese Embassy in Manila said in a statement. “The Chinese Embassy in the Philippines has expressed concerns to the Philippine side and requested ... [a] consular visit to the said Chinese citizen so as to provide consular assistance.”
The issue gained a top spot in the country’s media over the week.
In a joint press conference with the NBI and the armed forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Jan. 20, Philippines Secretary of Justice Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said that the alleged spy will face “diligent and meticulous” prosecution.
“When the sovereignty of the Filipino people is endangered and placed under tremendous risk, the full force of the law must be enforced without compromise or leniency,” Remulla said.
AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr. said in the conference that the alleged Chinese spy conducted his activities where “Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement” (EDCA) sites are located. At those sites, he said, there is a greater likelihood that the “coordinates and the topography could be used for military purposes, military targeting purposes.”
The EDCA was signed by the United States and the Philippines in 2014. The agreement gives U.S. forces access to agreed-upon locations in the Philippines for security cooperation exercises, joint and combined military training activities, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief activities. Sovereignty and control over the five EDCA locations are retained by the Philippines.
Charges
The alleged spy is Deng Yuanqing, 39, who graduated from the People’s Liberation Army University of Science and Technology with a degree in automation and engineering, specializing in control engineering, according to an NBI statement. The university is a prestigious army-operated research institution in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.In its statement, the NBI identified three of Deng’s associates based in China—two unnamed hardware engineers and a financier, cited only as “Wang.”
According to investigators, Deng’s vehicle traveled between the National Capital Region—metro Manila—and the general divisions of Luzon, the Philippines’ largest and most populous island, from Dec. 13, 2024, to Jan. 16.
Deng was allegedly “conducting detailed scouting, collating comprehensive image of the terrains and structures and the over-all topography of the potential targets, without consent and authority from the Philippine Government,” the NBI statement reads.
An enforcement action was launched by the investigating operatives on Jan. 17. They spotted Deng’s vehicle within the vicinity of Palm Tower, Makati City, Philippines.
He was found to be working on suspected espionage equipment mounted in the rear of his vehicle and was accompanied by two Filipinos, identified as Ronel Jojo Balundo Besa and Jayson Amado Fernandez, his driver and companion.
“When questioned about his identity, permit, and any authorization, Deng attempted to hide the storage device and flee, prompting the NBI operatives to arrest him as well as the other two,” the agency stated.
A study of the equipment and onsite research showed that Deng was recording sensitive data, including topographic footage, and was mapping critical infrastructures.
The country’s immigration chief, Joel Anthony Viado, said that Deng will not be deported “until all local accountabilities and penalties have been resolved and served.”
“We will ensure that we will identify any foreign cohorts that might be in the country assisting him. ... They will face serious punishment for their crimes,” Viado said, according to the Philippine News Agency.
Deng’s wife, Noemi Deng, said in a briefing on Jan. 27 that her husband had been surveying roads for a self-driving car company.
Beijing Protests
According to the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines, Deng’s family presented a different picture of the situation to officials.A spokesperson for the embassy urged the Philippines to “stop airing groundless speculations” and to “base its judgment on facts.”
In an opinion piece, Chinese state media outlet Global Times stated that such incidents are “detrimental” to relations between Beijing and Manila and are inspired by the two countries’ competing claims in the South China Sea.
Philippines national security adviser Eduardo Ano called for stricter espionage laws, urging lawmakers to “prioritize the passage of the amendments to the Espionage Act as well as the Countering Foreign Interference and Malign Influence bill.”
The Espionage Act, enacted in 1941, punishes espionage and other offenses against national security but is only effective in wartime.
“Strengthening our legal framework is essential to effectively address evolving security threats and to ensure that those who seek to compromise our national security will face the full force of the law,” Ano said in a statement.
