CIA’s Latest Tactic to Recruit Chinese Insiders to Spy for the U.S.

In recent years, both the United States and China have stepped up their intelligence efforts.

The U.S. sees China as its main long-term rival. China sees foreign spies as an ongoing threat.

Now, the CIA is trying a different tactic. It has released two new videos in Chinese, made to look like short films, according to CNN.

They are designed to appeal to disillusioned officials inside China.

One of the clips targets top Communist Party members. These are people under constant pressure.

Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign has punished millions, creating fear in the government, military, and state companies.

The video shows a senior official growing anxious. He watches others disappear from power. He wonders if his family will suffer too.

The dinner scene is quiet and tense. Two empty chairs at the table seem to say it all. The narrator admits he needs a way out.

The second video tells a different story. This one follows a younger government worker. He’s tired. He works long hours.

He attends political sessions and writes endless reports. He lives in a small apartment with his parents.

His bosses wear fancy suits and watches. He realizes he will never catch up. The system seems rigged.

The narrator says the dream of equal opportunity is gone. He decides he must take control of his future.

Both videos end the same way. The characters secretly reach out to the CIA through its website.

The older official wants to protect his family. The younger one wants freedom and purpose.

The CIA believes these videos will reach their audience despite China’s strict internet controls. A CIA official told Reuters, “If it didn’t work, we wouldn’t keep making them.”

So far, Chinese state media hasn’t responded. But on social media, some users have commented.

One called the videos “ridiculous.” Another warned that the U.S. is trying to weaken China from the inside.

Meanwhile, China’s own intelligence agency has become more active online. It posts warnings almost daily.

The message from both sides is clear: the spy war is alive and well.