CIA's Bold Outreach: Recruiting Inside China's Ranks

The CIA released Mandarin-language recruitment videos targeting disillusioned Chinese government officials. The initiative, which has garnered significant social media attention, is part of the agency's strategy to counter China's geopolitical ambitions. The campaign underscores a strategic focus on human intelligence and emphasizes clandestine contact methods.


Devdiscourse News Desk | Washington DC | Updated: 03-05-2025 10:01 IST | Created: 03-05-2025 09:13 IST
CIA's Bold Outreach: Recruiting Inside China's Ranks
Chinese leader Xi Jinping opened the ruling Communist Party's twice-a-decade National Congress. Image Credit: ANI
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The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has launched an audacious recruitment campaign aimed at Chinese government officials who might be experiencing disenchantment within President Xi Jinping's administration. The agency released two Mandarin-language videos on social media, an initiative that swiftly captured over 5 million views within 24 hours.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe highlighted the campaign's significance, linking it to a broader strategy to enhance the agency's human intelligence capabilities and respond to China's assertive global ambitions. Ratcliffe remarked on China's quest for economic, military, and technological dominance and the necessity for the CIA to adopt novel and determined tactics.

The videos, which feature high-production visuals of Communist Party insiders, luxury cars, and urban skylines, aim to resonate with officials feeling marginalized. They depict an honest party member grappling with the perilous dynamics of internal power struggles. The CIA's outreach reflects its commitment to facilitating safe and discreet channels for potential informants to connect.

(With inputs from agencies.)

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