Executive Summary
In the two short years since Chen Yixin’s appointment as Ministry of State Security (MSS) minister, he has modernized the organization’s approach to counterintelligence by leveraging social media, the public, and diplomatic relations. He has also overseen the expansion of intelligence relationships with other nations’ security services. Chen’s honing of the MSS approach to counterespionage, especially inside China, is fueling suspicions of foreigners and foreign interactions and, as a result, may further stress already tense diplomatic relations, especially with Taiwan and the US.
Chen has over forty years of experience in policy and government. He also has demonstrated ties with Xi Jinping and supports changes to the policies currently followed for state security. His main focuses in this role include combating corruption, improving security and counterintelligence mechanisms, and ensuring the national security of China today and for years to come.
Images Sourced From: Xinhua, izzati-moffet
Chen Yixin’s Profile
Personal Information
Chen Yixin was born on 01 September 1959 in Taishun County, Zhejiang, China. He is currently 65 years old. [source]
Education
Chen attended Lishui Teacher’s College (now Lishui University) and received a degree in physics. He has a postgraduate degree in the Party School of the Provincial Party Committee, which is an institution meant to train mid-career officials and other individuals associated with the CCP. [source, source]
Career Path
Chen joined the CPC in June 1982. He began his political career in Zhejiang, China serving on the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee. After receiving his degree from the Party School of the Provincial Party Committee, he moved to Jinhua City where he served as the Secretary of the Jinhua Municipal Party Committee of Zhejiang Province from 2011-2013. Chen then went on to work in Wenzhou until 2015. He also has experience operating in Wuhan during the Covid-19 outbreak.
In March 2018, Chen Yixin became the Member and Secretary general of the Central Political and Legal Commission. He is currently the Minister of State Security (MSS); he began work in this position on October 30, 2022. Since his appointment, Chen has worked to root out corruption in the Chinese government and to improve the intelligence and counterespionage capabilities of the Chinese intelligence community. [source, source, source, source, source]
National Security Stance
Chen Yixin believes that technological self-reliance and improvement are essential for China to protect its national security. He has also pushed for the improvement of counter-sanction mechanisms and the protection of other government documents and intelligence. He has a stated desire to advance China’s national security interests on the international level and wants to actively utilize counterintelligence methods to find spies and protect the security of China. Under his leadership, the MSS has cracked down on foreign spies and dissidents and utilized the public to find and apprehend persons of interest. The retention and security of China’s ideology is key to Chen Yixin’s and the Ministry’s actions. Chen Yixin believes that guarding China’s ideology and involving the general populace in this goal is key to China’s national security. [source, source, source, source, source, source]
