China detains three Filipinos on suspicion of spying

BEIJING: China has detained three Philippine nationals on suspicion of spying, the government and state media reported, as the countries' relations deteriorate.

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The three were found to have handed over "sensitive materials" about China to a Philippine contact, the official Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday, citing an anonymous official from China's Ministry of State Security.

Xinhua reported that the three had confessed to the charges against them while China casts action against foreign espionage, Xinhua said.

The three could not immediately be reached for comment.

The arrests came after Filipino authorities recently apprehended several Chinese nationals suspected of carrying out espionage activities in the Philippines.