# What is China's spy/intelligence agency called? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 4, 2010, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-chinas-spy-intelligence-agency-called/527626 "2010-02-04T02:36:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-chinas-spy-intelligence-agency-called/527626/1 "2010-02-04T02:36:29Z")
Forgive my ignorance, but my basic google-fu did not pull up an answer. I lived in China for a few years and I thought it was the Public Security Bureau, but it looks like they do a different kind of service. Do they have a CIA or KGB kind of agency? What is it called? What do we know about it? ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-chinas-spy-intelligence-agency-called/527626/2 "2010-02-04T02:49:49Z")
Seems to be \*Guóānbù \*or [MSS](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministry_of_State_Security_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China) ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-chinas-spy-intelligence-agency-called/527626/3 "2010-02-04T02:53:37Z")
Number One Spy Shop. (fried rice comes free!) ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-chinas-spy-intelligence-agency-called/527626/4 "2010-02-04T03:02:57Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Number One Spy Shop. (fried rice comes free!) we recruit chitty spies ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-chinas-spy-intelligence-agency-called/527626/5 "2010-02-04T07:31:45Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Number One Spy Shop. (fried rice comes free!) With four you get egg roll. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-chinas-spy-intelligence-agency-called/527626/6 "2010-02-04T07:52:54Z")
In addition to the MSS, the Second (HUMINT),Third (SIGINT), and Fourth (ELINT) Departments of the PLA engage in military intelligence. The Ministry of Public Security used to engage in secret police work, monitoring of dissidents, etc., but since the 1980s, that duty was turned over to MSS. The Ministry of Public Security is responsible for monitoring the internet, though. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-chinas-spy-intelligence-agency-called/527626/7 "2010-02-04T11:13:34Z")
Didn’t they use to have a Ministry of External Calm?