The CIA has released a new Chinese-language video aimed at recruiting spies within China’s military, expanding its campaign to attract informants and drawing likely anger from Beijing.The video, posted on the agency’s YouTube channel, depicts a fictional mid-level officer in the People’s Liberation Army disillusioned by alleged corruption among senior leaders. It shows him at work and later at home with his family before deciding to reach out to the CIA.
In the clip, the officer says, “Each day that goes by, it becomes clearer the only thing our party leaders are interested in defending is their own pockets.” He adds, “They built their careers on a foundation of lies. But those walls are slowly crumbling away, and we are left to clean up their mess.”In another scene, he reflects on his family, saying, “I could not let their madness be a part of my daughter’s future.”The video also includes an appeal in Chinese text asking: “Do you have information about high-ranking Chinese leaders? Are you a military officer or have dealings with the military? Do you work in intelligence, diplomacy, economics, science, or advanced technology fields, or deal with people working in these fields?”“Please contact us. We want to understand the truth,” the text says, adding that the CIA can be contacted “securely through our Tor hidden service.”The latest outreach follows earlier recruitment videos released last year. CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the campaign was part of broader changes in tradecraft. “They are just one of many ways that we’re adjusting our tradecraft,” Ratcliffe said.In a separate statement, Ratcliffe said, “Last year, CIA’s Mandarin video campaign reached many Chinese citizens, and we know there are many more searching for a way to improve their lives and change their country for the better. We’re going to continue offering Chinese government officials and citizens an opportunity to work toward a brighter future together.”A CIA official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States faced a generational challenge from China and described it as one of the agency’s most important intelligence targets. The official said the videos were reaching audiences despite China’s ban on YouTube and other Western platforms.The agency has published instructions on how Chinese nationals can use the dark web or virtual private networks to contact it without detection.The recruitment drive comes amid a sweeping anti-corruption campaign within China’s military. In recent months, President Xi Jinping removed the country’s top military officer and another senior general, with Chinese authorities citing unspecified “grave violations of discipline and the law.”US officials believe allegations of corruption within the People’s Liberation Army have created potential openings to recruit frustrated officers. China’s expanding military and intelligence budgets, along with extensive contracting across industries, have provided opportunities for graft, according to American officials.Beijing previously condemned similar CIA videos as “naked political provocation,” accusing Washington of maliciously smearing China and openly luring Chinese personnel to defect.
