BEIJING -- China's national security authorities have awarded 76 people for their offering tip-offs or reports that had helped prevent, stop and combat acts endangering national security.

Those awarded were from a wide spectrum of society such as government officials, enterprise employees, scholars, military staff, university students and fishermen, sources said in a statement Wednesday, which marks the 5th National Security Education Day in China.

They were given commendations and prizes for their "major" or "important" contributions in this regard.

According to the statement, such contributions included giving tip-offs about instigating people in China to conduct state secret espionage, illegally collecting certain information in China and other state secret risks. There were also people awarded for capturing dubious interceptor equipment in China's territorial waters.

The statement said national security authorities will continue working with the public in the crackdown on violations against national security.