Chinese Citizens Accused of Attempting to Hire Spies within US Military | Espionage News

The FBI is accusing two Chinese citizens of working for China’s Ministry of State Security to gather naval intelligence. The United States Department of Justice has charged them for spying and trying to recruit people from within the country’s military ranks. Yuance Chen and Liren Lai are accused of carrying out “clandestine intelligence taskings” such as facilitating payments for information, gathering intelligence on Navy bases, and trying to recruit assets for the intelligence agency. The case highlights China’s aggressive effort to infiltrate the military and undermine national security. According to an affidavit from the FBI, Lai was part of a network that could travel easily between China and the US to facilitate covert operations. He began developing Chen into an asset and encouraged him to travel abroad to discuss his connections in person with individuals offering intelligence. In 2022, they left a backpack with $10,000 in cash in a California locker as payment for intelligence gathering. Chen collected information about the Navy, including personal details from employees and toured a Navy aircraft carrier. The FBI says such interactions are part of China’s campaign to extend its military’s reach and collect intelligence. Both men have been charged under the Foreign Agent Registration Act, which requires those working on behalf of another country to register with the US government. China denies such claims and accuses the US of discriminatory tactics.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/2/two-chinese-nationals-charged-for-trying-to-recruit-spies-in-us-military?traffic_source=rss