A close look at the text of the law shows that two different kinds of crimes are described, of which the word "espionage" only appears in section 1831, which states that anyone who intends to steal or who has knowingly stolen trade secrets for the benefit of a foreign "government, agent or instrumentality" can face harsh punishment.
細看法條，「經濟間諜法」短短九節條文中，其實涵括了兩項不同的罪行，真正出現「間諜」字眼的，只有第一部份（第一八三一節條文：「經濟間諜活動」）。其中規定任何人意圖或知曉其「侵犯行為」將有益於任何外國政府、外國機構，或外國代理人，就可能被處以重刑。