Former CIA Official Warns of China’s Overseas Spy Operations Targeting US Military Personnel

A former CIA station chief has warned that China is intensifying its efforts to target U.S. military service members and government employees as part of an expanding overseas espionage campaign. The warning comes after the arrest of Jian Zhao and Li Tian, two active-duty Army soldiers, who face federal charges related to allegedly supplying "Top Secret" information to individuals based in China.

According to indictments handed down by grand juries in Washington and Oregon, prosecutors allege that Tian sold sensitive military information to Ruoyu Duan, a former soldier who is believed to have received payments from contacts in China. Tian reportedly received tens of thousands of dollars for classified data, including a Google Drive link containing documents about the Stryker combat vehicle and additional details on U.S. weapons systems.

Federal officials say the alleged transactions are part of a larger strategy in which Chinese intelligence services rely on so-called "cut-outs"—trusted intermediaries who recruit individuals with inside access to U.S. government secrets. These efforts, prosecutors argue, extend to both current and former officials.

*Court filings outline disturbing details:*

• Tian was captured on security video bringing his personal cellphone into a restricted area at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in May 2024, printing a classified document, and later returning it after hours away.
• He is also accused of taking multiple screenshots of protected material.
• Zhao allegedly sold classified details—including information on the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System and U.S. readiness plans for a possible conflict with China—for at least $15,000.
• Zhao further stands accused of selling 20 military hard drives to an unnamed individual in China, some of which were marked "Secret."

FBI Director Kash Patel condemned the incidents, stating, "This behavior cannot be tolerated with our service members who are entrusted with sensitive military information, including national defense information."

Former CIA station chief Dan Hoffman echoed concerns that U.S. government personnel are prime targets for Chinese intelligence recruitment. He explained that Chinese operatives often use deceptive methods, such as posing as benign contacts on social media or professional networking platforms, to initiate contact and eventually recruit Americans with access to sensitive data.

"I think anybody who serves in the U.S. government is in the crosshairs. And China will do it," Hoffman said, stressing that Beijing’s efforts are not limited to traditional spies but exploit technological and social avenues to gather intelligence.

Hoffman highlighted that acquiring U.S. military secrets remains a "top requirement" for China, noting their interest extends beyond the Pentagon to NATO members and partners throughout Asia. "They've got a massive intelligence apparatus," Hoffman added.

China's espionage activities are not limited to the military sector. In October 2024, five former University of Michigan students were charged after allegedly spying on a National Guard training center in Michigan during joint exercises with the Taiwanese military. The incident underscores the breadth of Beijing’s intelligence operations, which now encompass academic environments as well.

Michael Sobolik, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, described China's actions as part of a "new Cold War" with the United States. "The Chinese Communist Party will exercise whatever tactics they feel they need to by hook or crook to get our military secrets," he said, criticizing the willingness of some Americans to sell highly sensitive information for relatively modest sums.

Fox News' Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.