China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) on Thursday disclosed five national security-related cases via its official WeChat account, including an incident in which two foreign nationals, under the guise of academic exchange, illegally collected butterflies, posing potential risks to China's biosecurity. The individuals were eventually reported by a local fishing enthusiast and handled in accordance with the law by relevant authorities.

According to the ministry's WeChat account, the case began when a fishing enthusiast surnamed Zhang was angling by a lakeside and noticed two foreign nationals on the shore catching butterflies with insect nets. Their noisy activity startled the fish, prompting Zhang to pay closer attention to their behavior.

Zhang soon observed that the pair appeared highly professional and well-coordinated. One was responsible for catching the butterflies, while the other recorded data. Each specimen was carefully placed into a specialized container, a practice that differed markedly from that of ordinary tourists.

Recalling similar public reporting cases shared by national security authorities, Zhang promptly called the national security reporting hotline, 12339, to report the situation, according to the ministry's WeChat account.

Upon receiving the report, national security authorities swiftly coordinated with relevant departments to handle the case. On-site inspections revealed that the two individuals' backpacks contained hundreds of neatly arranged butterfly specimens, while their notebooks were filled with detailed records.

Further investigation found that the two foreign nationals were overseas biological researchers who had entered China under the pretext of academic exchange but collected wild species without authorization. The actions violated relevant Chinese regulations and could lead to the outflow of China's unique biological resources, posing a threat to China's biosecurity. National security authorities, in coordination with relevant departments, have handled the case in accordance with the law, according to the ministry.