Ministry of State Security

The Ministry of State Security (国家安全部, Guojia Anquan Bu) is the principal civilian intelligence and security service of the People's Republic of China. It was established in July 1983 through the merger of intelligence and counterintelligence units previously under the Ministry of Public Security and Communist Party structures. Its responsibilities include foreign intelligence, counterintelligence, covert action, and the political security of the Chinese Communist Party. The ministry is headquartered at the Yidongyuan compound in Beijing's Haidian district. It maintains semi-autonomous branches in every province and major city and administers the state security secret police. Policy oversight is exercised by the National Security Commission of the Chinese Communist Party, while the ministry formally sits within the State Council. It is regarded as one of the largest and most secretive intelligence agencies in the world. Its public presence is limited; it operates, among other channels, a national security reporting platform under the 12339 number.