China recruiting current, former U.S. government officials as spies

Counterintelligence unit, FBI issue warning

China is using consulting firms, headhunters and think tanks to aggressively recruit current and former U.S. officials as spies, according to a federal counterspy unit.

“Foreign intelligence entities, particularly those in China, are targeting current and former U.S. government employees for recruitment by posing as consulting firms, corporate headhunters, think tanks, and other entities on social and professional networking sites,” the National Counterintelligence and Security Center stated in a one-page warning.

The warning was echoed by the FBI on X. “China and other foreign intelligence entities are targeting former and current U.S. government employees on social and professional networking sites,” the bureau said in a post.

The FBI is the lead federal agency in charge of domestic counterintelligence. It declared on its website that Chinese Communist Party spying is “a grave threat” and top counterintelligence priority.

Chinese spies are using sophisticated deception ploys, including job offers and other virtual appeals to target people with government experience who are seeking employment, the counterintelligence notice said.