Foreign Ministry refutes allegations of China's espionage threat

BEIJING, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying on Thursday refuted allegations regarding China's espionage threat, made by the United States and Australia.

Media reported that U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo said China was trying to steal U.S. information.

Meanwhile, Australia said the foreign espionage threat was greater than before, with a raft of different countries seeking to conduct espionage and foreign interference, citing China as "a focus of concern."

"These reports remind me of a Chinese saying: your thoughts shape the world in your eyes. Thus, it is not strange to hear such remarks from the head of the world's largest intelligence agency," Hua said.

She said that "facts speak louder than words," and the world knows well who really conducts surveillance and espionage, and wields influence over other countries.

As for Australia's allegation, Hua said millions of people travel between China and Australia every year.

"If they regard these people and overseas Chinese in Australia as spies, they will be undoubtedly anxious," she said. Enditem