China’s Spy Agency Backs First-Ever Movie to Boost National Security Awareness

China's secretive Ministry of State Security has endorsed its first motion picture, "Scare Out," a counterespionage thriller directed by Oscar-nominated Zhang Yimou. The film aims to educate citizens about national security threats and encourage public participation in identifying suspicious activities.

A high-speed pursuit through towering glass buildings in Shenzhen culminated when a drone struck down a fleeing operative, creating one of the most memorable sequences in China’s latest blockbuster thriller. This dramatic scene from “Scare Out” has captivated audiences worldwide, including American viewers, but represents something unprecedented in Chinese cinema.

The film marks a historic first as the initial movie to receive official endorsement from China’s Ministry of State Security, the nation’s powerful and traditionally secretive intelligence organization. This represents a significant departure for a country where security agencies typically maintain tight control over information sharing.

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Zhang Yimou helmed the production, which the MSS describes as being “led and created” by the intelligence service. The agency hopes the film will enhance citizens’ ability to protect the nation from security threats. The movie debuted in Chinese theaters on February 17, coinciding with Chinese New Year celebrations.

In promotional materials shared across social media platforms, the MSS stated the production seeks to “strengthen the people’s defense line” and “echo the needs of the times of national security education.”

While this marks the agency’s first foray into film production, the MSS has increasingly opened its operations to public view in recent years. The organization began its social media presence approximately two years ago on WeChat, China’s dominant messaging platform, declaring that “Counterespionage requires the mobilization of the entire society.”

The ministry now maintains an almost daily posting schedule, frequently highlighting real-world cases. Recent examples include a travel influencer who allegedly recruited a university student to photograph military installations, and a military enthusiast who purchased classified defense documents for under one dollar at a local recycling center.

The agency has also produced comic books, brief video clips, and short films as part of its public outreach efforts.

“Scare Out” features prominent actors Jackson Yee and Zhu Yilong in a storyline centered on hunting down a double agent within China’s intelligence apparatus who has been compromising classified information about an advanced fighter aircraft.

“Spies are just there around you,” Zhang remarked in an MSS-produced promotional trailer.

Security analysts suggest the MSS is working to increase visibility while encouraging citizens to report potentially suspicious behavior they observe.

“It wants to build public and popular support to encourage people to share information,” explained Sheena Greitens, an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin.

“(It’s) a very sophisticated effort to mobilize Chinese citizens and make national security entertaining and fun to support,” she continued.

Writing in the People’s Daily, the Chinese Communist Party’s primary publication and the nation’s largest newspaper, Zhang revealed: “State security officers accompanied us throughout the whole filming process to make sure the film is close to reality.”

The director has previously earned Oscar recognition for acclaimed works including “Ju Dou,” “Raise The Red Lantern,” and “Hero.”

Social media speculation suggests the storyline draws from an actual incident involving a researcher who allegedly transmitted information about China’s J-35 fighter aircraft to foreign entities.

The Associated Press received no response to requests for comment from the MSS.

Since its theatrical release, the production has screened in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Box office receipts have reached 1.1 billion yuan (approximately $160 million) within its first two weeks.

Alice Jin, a 28-year-old e-commerce professional in Washington, attended the screening hoping she wouldn’t “fall asleep.” She found it “better than I expected,” noting: “I had no idea what it (MSS) was before.”

Wang Lehang, a 25-year-old student, commented: “I love watching movies, so a movie on patriotism education definitely works better on me.” He added it was “better than a lecture.”

International audiences have enjoyed espionage entertainment for generations, with the inaugural James Bond film premiering more than sixty years ago.

The CIA, frequently depicted in Hollywood productions including the Jason Bourne series, is recognized for collaborating with entertainment industry professionals to influence how the agency appears in popular media.

Western productions typically focus on “here’s where the trouble is coming from,” while China is simultaneously “highlighting to people internally that they don’t side with the West,” observed Liam McLoughlin, senior lecturer in politics at Edge Hill University in northwest England.

The film’s debut coincides with CIA recruitment campaigns on social media platforms specifically targeting Chinese officials for potential intelligence cooperation with the United States.

“Do you have information about China’s top leaders? Are you a military officer, or do you work with the military?” asks a recent recruitment video in Mandarin. “Please contact us. We want to understand the truth.”

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned these recruitment efforts, pledging to implement all necessary countermeasures to prevent infiltration attempts.