Chinese enterprises doing business overseas have recently been accused of corporate spying. In October, a report from the United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence alleged that Huawei and ZTE, two top Chinese telecommunication equipment manufacturers, pose a threat to US national security without presenting any convincing evidence.

In 2011, Sinovel Wind Group, China's largest wind power equipment maker, was sued by American Superconductor Corporation, which makes proprietary technologies for electricity infrastructure, for alleged theft of its intellectual property, something that Sinovel has vigorously denied.

Corporate spying is a common phenomenon both at home and abroad. In fact, it is as old as the industrial society itself.