China's Ministry of State Security on Thursday disclosed five real cases related to national security via its official WeChat account, including an incident in which two foreign nationals, allegedly directed by overseas espionage agencies, attempted to photograph a military facility while taking a ride-hailing car. With the driver's assistance, the two were eventually detained, underscoring the importance of public vigilance in countering security threats.

According to the ministry's WeChat account, the incident began when a ride-hailing driver surnamed Chen picked up two foreign passengers. During the journey, Chen noticed that the passengers appeared unusually tense and behaved suspiciously. As the vehicle passed near a military compound, the two began taking repeated photos of the entrance while speaking to each other in low voices, raising Chen's concerns about their identity and intentions.

As the destination was near from a local military site, Chen did not leave immediately after dropping them off. Instead, he discreetly followed the pair while calling the national security reporting hotline, 12339, to report the situation.

After making the call, Chen anticipated that the two might book another ride for their return trip. He opened multiple ride-hailing platforms and waited. Shortly afterward, he received another ride request from the same individuals, whose destination this time was in the direction of a military training ground, according to the ministry's WeChat account.

When the two foreign nationals re-entered the car, Chen deliberately altered the route and drove toward the military compound's gate. Sensing something was wrong, the passengers hurriedly deleted photos on their phones. Chen then accelerated toward the entrance before bringing the car to a sudden stop, securing the phones to preserve evidence. Military sentries quickly arrived at the scene and took the two individuals into custody.

Subsequent investigations found that the two had been instructed by overseas espionage agencies to conduct reconnaissance on Chinese military facilities. They had attempted to exploit the convenience of ride-hailing services to covertly gather information such as the geographic location of military facilities and details of their layout and deployment, according to the ministry's WeChat account.

Chen was later awarded a special award for major contributions to citizen reporting by national security authorities in recognition of his vigilance and bravery, according to the ministry.