Have Two Chinese Nationals Been Charged in the US for Spying on Naval Bases?

Washington, July 2 (NationPress) - Two Chinese nationals have been indicted in the United States for engaging in espionage activities on behalf of China. Their alleged actions include taking photographs of a naval base, orchestrating a covert cash drop, and attempting to recruit members of the US military, as reported by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday (Indian time).

The federal case, lodged in San Francisco and made public on Monday (US time), represents the latest effort in a series of prosecutions aimed at countering what American officials characterize as the Chinese government's unyielding pursuit of intelligence related to US military operations.

The claims resonate with a larger narrative that gained global attention two years ago when a Chinese surveillance balloon was intercepted off the South Carolina coast.

Attorney General Pam Bondi stated, "This case highlights the continued and aggressive attempt by the Chinese government to infiltrate our military and compromise our national security from within."

The DOJ named the accused as Yuance Chen, 38, who entered the US on a visa in 2015 and later achieved lawful permanent residency, and Liren 'Ryan' Lai, 39, who allegedly traveled to Texas earlier this year to oversee espionage activities for China's Ministry of State Security (MSS).

Both individuals were arrested on the grounds of covertly acting for the Chinese government without the necessary registration as foreign agents, which is mandated by US law.

Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, stated that he was unaware of the specific details of the case, adding, "The US has never ceased its espionage operations against China," and dismissed the allegations as unfounded and lacking credible evidence.

An FBI affidavit submitted with the charges indicates that authorities suspect Lai commenced developing Chen as an intelligence asset as early as mid-2021, with their purported operations including arranging a cash drop of at least $10,000 to an individual acting on behalf of MSS.

The affidavit also outlines the surveillance activities conducted by the pair, which involved photographing a US Navy base in Washington state and a Navy recruiting station in California.

Investigators assert that Chen captured the images and relayed them to Chinese intelligence contacts.

The FBI alleges the duo also sought to identify and evaluate potential Navy recruits with connections to China to see if they could be persuaded to collaborate with Chinese intelligence.

At one point, Chen reportedly communicated with Lai about a Navy employee, stating, "I discovered that his mother is Chinese. His parents had a troubled relationship, and the mother was awarded custody when he was 8. That is why he uses his mother's surname."

The Justice Department remarked that this case is part of a broader pattern of Chinese intelligence operations targeting the US military.

In a related incident in August 2023, two Navy sailors were charged with providing China sensitive military information, including details about wartime maneuvers, technical specifications, and naval deployments.

Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg, head of the DOJ's National Security Division, stated, "Adverse foreign intelligence services, like the PRC's Ministry of State Security, invest years in recruiting individuals and nurturing them as intelligence assets to carry out their objectives within the United States."