U.S. Intelligence and Espionage

The CIA has released a new Mandarin‑language recruitment video explicitly aimed at mid‑level officers in China’s People’s Liberation Army, portraying a fictional officer disillusioned by corrupt, politically connected superiors who ultimately reaches out to the U.S. spy agency. A CIA official told CBS News the character is meant to mirror 'widely shared' frustrations inside the PLA and to highlight a widening gap between Chinese elites 'who want what is best for their bank accounts' and ordinary citizens who want what is best for the country. Director John Ratcliffe, calling China the CIA’s top intelligence priority in a 'generational competition,' said an earlier Mandarin campaign 'reached many Chinese citizens' and has already produced new volunteer sources, including people using a CIA dark‑web site. The new spot, which ends with Mandarin‑language instructions on secure contact methods, is designed to circulate inside China despite the Great Firewall, in part by riding recent turmoil and purges inside the PLA’s senior ranks. The campaign reflects an evolution toward more public, cinematic online outreach by the CIA targeting adversary states like China, Russia and Iran instead of relying solely on traditional clandestine recruiting channels.