The CIA has recently released two Hollywood-style recruitment videos aimed at attracting Chinese officials and dissidents to spy for the United States. These slickly produced clips, filmed in Mandarin with Chinese subtitles, are part of a broader effort to ramp up intelligence gathering on China, which the U.S. views as a top strategic rival and military threat.
CIA’s Recruitment Strategy
The videos, each running over two minutes, resemble mini movies with plot lines, narration, and suspenseful background music. They target two distinct demographics:
- Senior Communist Party Officials – The first video appeals to high-ranking officials who fear being caught in Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption purge. It portrays a Chinese official and his wife attending a lavish dinner while being tailed by government agents. The narrator expresses concerns about sudden disappearances and the uncertain fate of his family, ultimately deciding to contact the CIA.
- Young Government Workers – The second video focuses on mid-career bureaucrats who feel trapped in a corrupt system. It depicts a young official working long hours, attending political self-criticism sessions, and watching his wealthy boss live in luxury. The narrator realizes that hard work won’t change his fate, prompting him to seek an alternative path through the CIA.
The CIA’s Broader Recruitment Efforts
This campaign follows previous Mandarin-language outreach efforts, including a text-based video released last year with step-by-step instructions on how to securely contact the agency online. The CIA has also used Russian-language content and similar strategies to recruit informants in China, Iran, and North Korea.
China’s Response
China’s intelligence agency has launched counter-campaigns warning citizens against foreign espionage. The Chinese Communist Party heavily censors online content, making it difficult for these videos to reach their intended audience. However, experts believe that reflections of the videos may still circulate through cryptic channels that evade censorship.
Implications for U.S.-China Relations
The release of these videos underscores the intensifying intelligence battle between the U.S. and China. CIA Director John Ratcliffe has emphasized that China remains America’s most formidable adversary, economically, militarily, and technologically. The Agency hopes that these public recruitment efforts will help expand its network of informants inside China.
Resource
Central Intelligence Agency
CIA.gov