CIA Targets China’s Military After Shock General Purge
Just weeks after Beijing’s stunning removal of a top commander, the Central Intelligence Agency has launched a bold new recruitment drive aimed squarely at China’s armed forces.
The spy agency released a slick public video portraying a frustrated mid-level officer in the People’s Liberation Army, clearly designed to tap into unrest following the dramatic investigation of Zhang Youxia, vice-chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission.
The move comes amid Beijing’s sweeping anti-corruption crackdown that has shaken the upper ranks of the military. Washington appears eager to exploit any cracks in the system.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the campaign had already reached audiences inside China, offering officials a “brighter future” if they choose to cooperate.
The video follows a similar Chinese-language outreach last year targeting members of the ruling party complete with instructions on how to secretly contact U.S. intelligence.
As tensions simmer between the U.S. and China, the espionage battle is no longer hidden in the shadows it’s playing out online for the world to see.