China warns Tel Aviv of espionage allegations

Hebrew sources reported on Tuesday evening that allegations made by the Israel Security Agency (Shabak) about Beijing spying on Tel Aviv had caused diplomatic tensions between the two sides.

The Zionist regime's Security Agency yesterday charged the Chinese embassy with trying to spy on Israeli ministries.

Multiple Hebrew media outlets reported on Tuesday morning that a travel mug given as a gift by the Chinese embassy in Israel to an Israeli minister was found to contain a component suspected to be a possible spying device.

China warns Tel Aviv that if the Israeli regime does not deny allegations of Beijing spying on the Zionist ministries in official statements, the allegations will have grave consequences for the relations between the two sides, Arab 48 news channel reported, quoting Israeli television channel 12.

The Chinese embassy in Israel is also fuming over “baseless rumours” that a listening device was concealed among Passover gifts delivered to the Zionist regime's officials.

In a statement on Tuesday night, the embassy hit back at “faulty” media reporting that the gifts – a customary diplomatic practice for the holiday – included a thermal mug that “may” contain “a suspicious device”.

“The baseless rumours have a severe impact as they aim to drive a wedge between China and Israel, tarnish China’s image and seriously mislead the public,” the embassy said.

In fact, the so-called device was a “getter” – a common addition to thermal products which absorbs any free oxygen left in the vacuum layer during production, the statement continued.

The embassy’s angry response followed local media reports on Tuesday which quoted sources raising doubts about the gifts which were delivered to ministries responsible for science and transport.

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