Chinese state security chief Chen Yixin wraps up 10-day tour of Southeast Asia

Chen visits Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, meeting senior government and intelligence chiefs

The rare overseas trip comes amid a fresh domestic security crackdown that has seen new legislation being introduced by Beijing

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China’s anti-espionage chief Chen Yixin made a rare trip abroad. Photo: Weibo@Righteous Xiaoliu

Published: 5:10pm, 13 Nov 2023Updated: 7:10pm, 13 Nov 2023

China’s anti-espionage chief Chen Yixin has made a rare overseas visit with a 10-day tour of Southeast Asia, where he reached an “extensive consensus” on security and intelligence cooperation with Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, according to the Ministry of State Security.

The ministry generally operates away from the spotlight and foreign trips by the minister are uncommon.

The trip – which finished on Saturday according to the ministry’s official WeChat account – comes amid a renewed focus on national security that has seen the passage of a new anti-espionage law and a revision to the Law on Guarding State Secrets.

In Cambodia, Chen, who assumed his post in 2022, pledged to deepen “pragmatic cooperation” in security intelligence with Prime Minister Hun Manet and deputy prime minister Neth Savoeun, the ministry said. The two countries are marking the 65th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations.

In the visit to Vietnam, Chen was received by Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong.

The pair said security cooperation was “an important part” of the relationship between the two countries and their ruling communist parties. They also agreed to “further strengthen practical cooperation in the security intelligence field”.

Two members of the Vietnamese Politburo – To Lam, its public security minister, and Nguyen Van Nen, the party chief of Ho Chi Minh City – also met Chen.