U.S. prosecutors have filed charges against two Chinese nationals suspected of acting as agents for China’s security service, gathering information on U.S. Navy bases and attempting to identify American soldiers willing to spy on behalf of Beijing, the Department of Justice announced.
According to Reuters, the suspects organized a “payment through a secret location” of at least $10,000, placed in a locker at a recreational center in Northern California in 2022, in exchange for sensitive national security information that had already been passed on to Chinese intelligence.
The official announcement named the arrested individuals as Yuance Chen, 38, a lawful permanent resident of Happy Valley, Oregon, and Liren “Ryan” Lai, 39, who arrived in Houston from China on a tourist visa in April.
Reports say both worked for China’s Ministry of State Security.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that it is not aware of the details but will take necessary measures to protect the legitimate rights of its citizens. “We have always opposed creating panic about so-called Chinese spies,” said spokeswoman Mao Ning at a Wednesday press conference.
Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel emphasized in an official statement: “The Chinese Communist Party thought it could succeed with its plan to operate on U.S. soil, using espionage tactics such as secret payment locations to reward its sources.”
